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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bear — the animal
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wake — a trail
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pound — a weight
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. kid — child
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — the underground
  21. fine — all right
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. kid — to tease
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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