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

Word bank: pound · pit · chip · hide · arm · wake · bay · mouse

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. pound — a weight
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. chip — for betting
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. wake — a trail
  21. pit — a hole
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. pit — in a race

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