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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pound — a weight
  6. club — for dancing
  7. race — the arms race
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. file — a document
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. file — a tool
  15. club — a group
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. file — a line of people
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. race — humankind
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. club — for golf
  23. race — a contest
  24. branch — a division

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