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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. date — the fruit
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. mark — a trace
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. mate — a friend

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