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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 116 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. race — humankind
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ball — a dance
  7. field — for sport
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. pound — a weight
  10. object — an aim
  11. ball — a great time
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. race — the arms race
  15. court — for sport
  16. race — a contest
  17. field — a subject
  18. stem — to come from
  19. court — of law
  20. object — to protest
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. object — a thing
  23. court — of a king
  24. field — farmland

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