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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pound — a weight
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. wake — a trail
  5. kid — child
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. tube — a container
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — the underground
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. kid — to tease
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bear — the animal

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