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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. deal — to handle
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — government
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. fork — in a road
  13. pound — a weight
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — electricity
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. foot — a measure
  24. rule — a law

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