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

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. pound — a weight
  3. fall — the season
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. current — happening now
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. current — electric
  10. fall — to drop
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. rule — government
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. current — of water
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. rule — to rule out

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