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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pound — a weight
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. suit — in cards
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bear — the animal
  7. spring — the season
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bore — to tire
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bore — to drill
  16. suit — clothes
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bear — the animal
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. spring — of water
  24. pound — to hit hard

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