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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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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 ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. content — happy
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. fork — in a road
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. tube — the underground
  18. content — the amount

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