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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. 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 — for dogs
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. tube — a container
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — the underground
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — to drop
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. fall — the season
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. dip — to sink
  19. content — happy
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pound — a weight
  24. 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