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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. hand — in cards
  4. row — to paddle
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. mark — a trace
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pop — music
  10. row — a line
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pop — soda
  13. rule — government
  14. bulb — for light
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. rule — a law
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. hand — help
  21. mark — a grade
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pop — to visit

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