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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to tire
  5. press — newspapers
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mine — for digging
  11. bore — to drill
  12. rule — government
  13. stock — shares
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. press — to push
  18. press — a publisher
  19. rule — a law
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. stock — goods
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. rush — hurry

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