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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  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. pound — to hit hard
  2. object — an aim
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. rash — a series
  8. degree — from a university
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. object — to protest
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bark — to shout
  14. degree — an amount
  15. degree — temperature
  16. toast — bread
  17. pound — a weight
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rash — hasty
  22. object — a thing
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  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