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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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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 · object · mate · jam · deal · pound · clip · mouse

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — to handle
  3. clip — to cut
  4. mate — to breed
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. object — an aim
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. clip — a video
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. object — to protest
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. clip — for paper
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. object — a thing
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mate — a partner
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. pound — a weight

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