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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. club — a group
  5. rule — government
  6. last — to go on
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. last — finally
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bear — the animal
  13. club — for dancing
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. last — final
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rule — a law
  20. club — for golf
  21. rush — hurry
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bear — the animal

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