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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bear — the animal
  3. ground — crushed
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bear — the animal
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. current — electric
  11. ground — a position
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. current — happening now
  15. ground — the earth
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. current — of water
  18. hide — to keep secret

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