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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 124 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. object — a thing
  3. season — of the year
  4. object — to protest
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. swing — music
  7. stem — to come from
  8. swing — in golf
  9. pound — a weight
  10. swing — to play on
  11. lie — to recline
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. net — for catching
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. season — in sport
  18. net — after costs
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. object — an aim
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. net — in sport
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. hide — to keep secret

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