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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fall · fine · scale · clip · bay · pound · mouse · lash

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. fall — the season
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — in music
  9. pound — a weight
  10. clip — to cut
  11. clip — a video
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fall — to drop
  16. clip — for paper
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. fall — to drop
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. fine — all right

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