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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pound — a weight
  3. bear — the animal
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. suit — to fit
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. suit — clothes
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. last — finally
  11. last — final
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wake — a trail
  17. mine — for digging
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. last — to go on
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. bear — the animal
  23. suit — in cards
  24. mine — an explosive

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