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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pound — a weight
  4. ground — a position
  5. can — a tin
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bore — to tire
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bore — to drill
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. can — to be able to
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ground — the earth
  18. can — a tin
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. fine — all right
  21. ball — a dance
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. fine — high quality
  24. pound — to hit hard

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