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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pop — to visit
  5. row — to paddle
  6. mark — a grade
  7. net — after costs
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — tied together
  10. net — for catching
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. pound — a weight
  13. mark — a trace
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — soda
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. net — in sport
  22. bound — obliged
  23. row — a line
  24. ruler — a monarch

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