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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. kick — in football
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. dip — to sink
  7. mate — to breed
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pound — a weight
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. mate — a friend
  16. kid — to tease
  17. club — for golf
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. club — for dancing
  20. mate — a partner
  21. kid — child
  22. club — a group
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. dip — to dunk

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