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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. kid — child
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. pop — soda
  14. pound — a weight
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bear — the animal
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pop — to visit
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. pop — music
  23. kid — to tease
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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