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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. mug — a face
  3. clip — a video
  4. clip — for paper
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pop — soda
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fall — to drop
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pound — a weight
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mug — to rob
  20. pop — to visit
  21. clip — to cut
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pop — 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