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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rock — a stone
  4. craft — boats
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. mine — for digging
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bass — the fish
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bass — low music
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. rock — music
  15. craft — a skill
  16. kid — child
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. kid — to tease
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. fork — in a road
  23. pound — a weight
  24. bass — the instrument

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