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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bear — the animal
  3. spring — of water
  4. kid — child
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. kid — to tease
  9. spring — a coil
  10. mate — a partner
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pound — a weight
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. spring — the season
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. mate — a friend
  21. bear — the animal
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pound — to hit hard

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