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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wind — moving air
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — a price
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rash — a series
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rash — hasty
  18. charge — electricity
  19. pound — a weight
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wind — moving air
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bear — the animal
  24. patient — a sick person

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