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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. saw — the tool
  4. firm — steady
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. saw — the tool
  12. can — a tin
  13. pound — a weight
  14. press — to push
  15. press — a publisher
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. wake — a trail
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — a company
  21. bear — the animal
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. press — newspapers
  24. pound — for dogs

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