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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: lash · pound · suit · race · dip · shower · bay · stock

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. dip — to sink
  5. shower — to wash
  6. stock — goods
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. suit — to fit
  9. shower — rain
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. pound — a weight
  13. suit — clothes
  14. stock — shares
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. suit — in cards
  17. race — humankind
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. race — a contest
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. race — the arms 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