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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. fall — to drop
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. club — for dancing
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. club — a group
  7. bass — the fish
  8. season — in sport
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pound — a weight
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. tube — the underground
  17. club — for golf
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — the season
  20. bear — the animal
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bass — low music
  24. season — of the year

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