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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. band — a music group
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. band — a ring
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. fork — in a road
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bear — the animal
  16. shower — rain
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. shower — to wash

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