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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. staff — employees
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. content — the amount
  9. pound — a weight
  10. staff — employees
  11. capital — money
  12. content — happy
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — for dancing
  19. club — a group
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. staff — a stick
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. capital — a city

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