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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  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. ruler — a monarch
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. rule — a law
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — the fish
  8. key — in music
  9. pound — a weight
  10. charge — electricity
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bass — low music
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — in control
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — for a lock
  17. rule — government
  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