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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fine — all right
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. wind — moving air
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bear — the animal
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a hole
  13. wind — moving air
  14. board — a committee
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. kick — in football
  20. pound — a weight
  21. board — to get on
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. pound — for dogs

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