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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rock · bear · season · fan · present · object · swing · pound

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. object — to protest
  3. season — of the year
  4. pound — a weight
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. swing — music
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. season — in sport
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. object — a thing
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. present — there
  16. swing — in golf
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — the time now
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rock — music
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. object — an aim

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