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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mate — to breed
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bank — of a river
  14. mate — a partner
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. bank — for money
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. mine — for digging
  23. bass — low music
  24. bank — for money

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