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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · fork · club · pound · lash · rest

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. rest — what's left
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. rest — a break
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for dancing
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. club — for golf
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — in a road

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