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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. firm — decided
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. fork — in a road
  6. firm — steady
  7. shower — rain
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. shower — to wash
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. rule — a law
  15. rule — government
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. firm — a company
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — shares
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. stock — goods

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