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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. band — a ring
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. kid — child
  8. kid — to tease
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. band — a music group
  14. pound — a weight
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. trunk — of a car

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