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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. land — a country
  4. squash — to crush
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. squash — the sport
  7. mug — a cup
  8. land — ground
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. pound — a weight
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. land — to come down
  15. ground — crushed
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. mug — a face
  19. ground — a position
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. ground — the earth
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. rush — hurry

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