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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. rule — a law
  3. lean — thin
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a dance
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. rule — government
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. ground — the earth
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. ground — crushed
  13. suit — clothes
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. suit — in cards
  16. deal — to handle
  17. lean — to bend
  18. suit — to fit
  19. ground — a position
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. rash — a series
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rash — hasty

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