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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 116 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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. lean — to bend
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. ball — a dance
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pound — a weight
  16. snap — to click
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. ball — a great time
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to rest against

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