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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 116 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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. rock — music
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rock — a stone
  5. file — a document
  6. file — a line of people
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. band — a ring
  9. file — a tool
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. pound — a weight
  12. band — a music group
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rash — a series
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pitch — completely
  23. lie — to recline
  24. rash — hasty

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