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

Word bank: bay · pound · kick · fork · row · squash · scale · bear

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — a weight
  4. kick — in football
  5. scale — in music
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. row — to paddle
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. squash — the sport
  16. bear — the animal
  17. scale — size or range
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. squash — to crush
  21. row — a line
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. bear — to put up with

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