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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 120 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bear — the animal
  3. band — a ring
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. craft — boats
  7. bear — the animal
  8. band — a music group
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. craft — a skill
  12. pound — a weight
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. squash — to crush
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. net — in sport
  18. net — after costs
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. squash — the sport
  24. net — for catching

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