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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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Word bank
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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: hide · rock · roll · rash · snap · last · fine · pound

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. rash — a series
  4. rock — music
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. pound — a weight
  7. rock — a stone
  8. roll — a list
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rash — hasty
  12. snap — to click
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. last — finally
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. last — to go on
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. roll — a cake
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. fine — all right
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. last — final
  24. fine — high quality

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