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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. snap — to click
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. can — a tin
  12. fork — in a road
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bear — the animal
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. can — a tin
  22. kick — in football
  23. wake — a trail
  24. can — to be able to

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