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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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. bear — the animal
  3. game — wild animals
  4. branch — a division
  5. pop — soda
  6. pop — to visit
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. pop — music
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. game — a match
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. bear — to put up with
  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