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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. wound — an injury
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. club — for golf
  7. club — a group
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. kick — in football
  10. bass — low music
  11. club — for dancing
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bore — to drill
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bore — to tire
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. wound — an injury
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bass — the fish

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