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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. branch — a division
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bass — the fish
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cap — a lid
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bulb — for light
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bulb — for light
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bear — the animal
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. cap — of ice
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. cue — for pool

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