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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. squash — the sport
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bank — of a river
  9. field — a subject
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bank — for money
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. field — for sport
  14. field — farmland
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. saw — the tool
  17. squash — to crush
  18. bank — for money
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. saw — the tool
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. ruler — a monarch

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