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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: mouse · bay · season · lash · mate · fall · pound · rash

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. fall — the season
  3. season — of the year
  4. pound — a weight
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. fall — to drop
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rash — hasty
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. rash — a series
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. fall — to drop
  24. season — in sport

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