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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  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. dip — to sink
  2. club — a group
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rule — government
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. club — for golf
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. pound — a weight
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. club — for dancing
  22. rule — a law
  23. tube — the underground
  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