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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  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. ball — a round shape
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. press — newspapers
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. press — a publisher
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. field — for sport
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. field — farmland
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pound — a weight
  20. press — to push
  21. field — a subject
  22. bear — the animal
  23. wake — before a funeral
  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