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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bear — the animal
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. court — of law
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fork — in a road
  13. court — for sport
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. stem — to come from
  18. court — of a king
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. mark — a trace
  21. snap — to click
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. mark — a grade

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