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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. mark — a grade
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. pound — a weight
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. wind — moving air
  16. rock — a stone
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. mark — a trace
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. date — the fruit
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. rock — music

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