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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. squash — the sport
  5. drill — army training
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. wake — a trail
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. drill — a practice
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. drill — the tool
  17. cue — a hint
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. squash — to crush
  22. sharp — clever
  23. cue — for pool
  24. pound — to hit hard

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