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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. march — music
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pound — a weight
  7. march — the month
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. object — an aim
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. lie — to recline
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. object — to protest
  17. march — the month
  18. ruler — for measuring

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