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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. spell — a short time
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. pound — a weight
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. spell — magic
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — music
  16. spell — letters
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. date — the fruit
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — for light

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