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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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — an aim
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. lean — thin
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cap — a lid
  14. pop — to visit
  15. object — to protest
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pop — music
  18. pop — soda
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. pound — a weight
  24. cap — a hat

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