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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. bound — tied together
  5. saw — the tool
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bound — certain
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — a permit
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — an injury
  14. saw — the tool
  15. land — ground
  16. land — to come down
  17. tear — to rip
  18. pound — a weight
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. tear — from crying
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bound — obliged
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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