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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. present — there
  7. drill — the tool
  8. club — a group
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bulb — for light
  12. present — a gift
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. present — the time now
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. drill — a practice
  20. club — for golf
  21. drill — army training
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. club — for dancing

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