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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bear — the animal
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. wax — to grow
  10. pound — a weight
  11. scale — in music
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bear — the animal
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. fork — in a road
  23. scale — size or range
  24. pitch — a sports field

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