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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. kid — child
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. charge — electricity
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. charge — in control
  10. rash — a series
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pound — a weight
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ground — a position
  16. charge — a price
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ground — the earth
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. kid — to tease
  22. rash — hasty
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. ball — a dance

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