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

Word bank: pound · stem · fine · rock · bay · game · lash · kick

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. rock — a stone
  3. game — wild animals
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. fine — high quality
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. game — a match
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. kick — in football
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. stem — to come from
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. rock — music
  23. stem — a stem cell
  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