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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bass — low music
  8. chair — a leader
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — the fish
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. mug — a face
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. bore — to tire
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. mug — to rob
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. mug — a cup

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