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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. club — for dancing
  3. lie — to recline
  4. club — a group
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. court — of a king
  9. court — of law
  10. rule — government
  11. court — for sport
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. band — a ring
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. band — a music group
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. club — for golf
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — to rule out

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