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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bear — the animal
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. march — the month
  5. chest — of your body
  6. content — the amount
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. pound — a weight
  10. charge — electricity
  11. chest — of your body
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — government
  15. charge — in control
  16. chest — a box
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. march — music
  19. content — happy
  20. bear — the animal
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. march — the month
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. charge — a price

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