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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — completely
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. pound — a weight
  12. shower — to wash
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. wax — to grow
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. ruler — for measuring

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