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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. firm — steady
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. kick — in football
  7. pound — a weight
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. firm — a company
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. chair — a leader
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. bore — to drill
  17. firm — decided
  18. rush — hurry
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bore — to tire
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wax — to grow
  24. chair — a professorship

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