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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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. kid — child
  4. pound — a weight
  5. capital — a city
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. suit — clothes
  8. present — there
  9. board — a committee
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. kid — to tease
  13. present — a gift
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. suit — to fit
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. capital — money
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. present — the time now
  24. foot — a measure

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