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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: toast · object · snap · bear · pound · stick · last · fork

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  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. object — a thing
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bear — the animal
  6. object — to protest
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. snap — to click
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. toast — bread
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. last — final
  15. last — to go on
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. object — an aim
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. last — finally
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  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