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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. tube — a container
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bound — tied together
  5. present — the time now
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. tube — the underground
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. rash — hasty
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bound — obliged
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. present — a gift
  17. pound — a weight
  18. bound — certain
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. present — there
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — a series
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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