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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. game — a match
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. rash — hasty
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — obliged
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. bound — tied together
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. dip — to sink
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pound — a weight
  16. foot — a measure
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. rash — a series
  19. game — wild animals
  20. mug — a cup
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. mug — to rob

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