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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. capital — money
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. pound — a weight
  8. capital — a city
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. cold — not warm
  12. bound — certain
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. bound — tied together
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. foot — a measure
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bound — obliged
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. bear — the animal
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. ruler — for measuring

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