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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 120 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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. firm — steady
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. tear — from crying
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. firm — decided
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. tear — to rip
  16. firm — a company
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — to sink
  20. tear — from crying
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pound — a weight
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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