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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pound — a weight
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bear — the animal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. bear — the animal
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. arm — a part of something

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