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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pit — in a race
  3. row — to paddle
  4. ground — crushed
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. ground — a position
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pit — a hole
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. bear — the animal
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. row — a line
  21. pound — a weight
  22. ground — the earth
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. toast — bread

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