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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. squash — the sport
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bear — the animal
  9. lean — thin
  10. ball — a dance
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. lean — to bend
  13. bark — to shout
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. rock — a stone
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rock — music
  19. pound — a weight
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. squash — to crush
  24. ball — a great time

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