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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. suit — clothes
  4. cell — in biology
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rash — hasty
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. cell — a phone
  10. suit — in cards
  11. rash — a series
  12. press — to push
  13. press — newspapers
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. press — a publisher
  17. content — happy
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. suit — to fit
  24. content — the amount

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