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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 120 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. fork — in a road
  4. pound — a weight
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. root — of a word
  8. kid — child
  9. pop — music
  10. root — the cause
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. root — of a plant
  18. tube — the underground
  19. kid — to tease
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. pop — to visit
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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