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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. ground — crushed
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. ground — a position
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. bear — the animal
  15. ground — the earth
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — a thing
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. object — an aim
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — hurry

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