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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: wind · stick · jam · kick · wake · suit · object · pound

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. object — a thing
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. object — to protest
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. pound — a weight
  12. object — an aim
  13. suit — to fit
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. wake — a trail
  16. wind — moving air
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. kick — in football
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. suit — clothes
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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