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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. root — of a plant
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. root — of a word
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. staff — a stick
  15. pound — a weight
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. staff — employees
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. chip — to eat
  22. staff — employees
  23. root — the cause
  24. straw — a straw man

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