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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. rash — a series
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. race — the arms race
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. scale — in music
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. suit — clothes
  13. race — humankind
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. suit — to fit
  17. race — a contest
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rash — hasty
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. pound — a weight
  24. scale — size or range

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