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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pound — a weight
  4. net — after costs
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. row — to paddle
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rule — a law
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. net — for catching
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. row — a line
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. net — in sport
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. pitcher — a jug

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