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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. last — finally
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bear — the animal
  6. last — final
  7. spell — magic
  8. bear — the animal
  9. firm — decided
  10. last — to go on
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — a safe
  15. pound — a weight
  16. firm — a company
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. sharp — clever
  19. firm — steady
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. spell — letters
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. sharp — with an edge

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