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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. dip — to sink
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pound — a weight
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. rock — music
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. spring — the season
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. spring — a coil
  19. race — the arms race
  20. spring — of water
  21. race — humankind
  22. race — a contest
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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