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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 120 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: fork · hide · bear · bowl · capital · mug · craft · pound

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  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. hide — to keep secret
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. mug — a cup
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mug — a face
  8. fork — in a road
  9. capital — a city
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. craft — a skill
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. capital — money
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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