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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bark — to shout
  10. mug — a face
  11. fork — in a road
  12. staff — employees
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. staff — employees
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. staff — a stick
  24. wake — before a funeral

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