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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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Word bank
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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 · pop · mouse · content · pound · bark · date · lash

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. date — the fruit
  3. content — the amount
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — a weight
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bear — the animal
  12. content — happy
  13. bark — to shout
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — soda
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pop — music
  24. mouse — 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