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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fall — to drop
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — a weight
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bulb — for light
  15. fall — the season
  16. key — in music
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. cold — not warm
  19. key — the most important part
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. key — for a lock
  24. cold — an illness

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com