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

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bear — the animal
  4. key — in music
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. key — the most important part
  8. row — to paddle
  9. saw — the tool
  10. lean — thin
  11. row — a line
  12. saw — the tool
  13. key — for a lock
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. pound — a weight

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