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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — for betting
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. vault — a safe
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — a price
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bore — to drill
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. charge — electricity
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bore — to tire
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. perch — the fish

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