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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: pound · craft · roll · squash · content · lash · mouse · bear

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pound — a weight
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. content — the amount
  10. roll — a list
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. squash — the sport
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. craft — boats
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. content — happy
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. squash — to crush
  20. roll — a cake
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pound — for dogs

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