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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 120 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — in football
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pound — a weight
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. snap — to click
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. suit — to fit
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. wax — to grow
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. fork — in a road
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. suit — clothes

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