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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bass — the fish
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bass — low music
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fork — in a road
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. snap — to click
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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