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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 120 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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bark — to shout
  13. pound — a weight
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. press — newspapers
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. press — a publisher
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — a law
  24. press — to push

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