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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: stick · bowl · wind · object · wave · pound · rush · bear

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  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. pound — a weight
  2. object — to protest
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. object — a thing
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. object — an aim
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. pound — to hit hard
  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