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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bass — the fish
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. staff — a stick
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bass — low music
  9. rest — a break
  10. object — an aim
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — a grade
  14. rest — what's left
  15. staff — employees
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — to protest
  19. rest — what's left
  20. staff — employees
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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