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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pop — soda
  3. roll — a cake
  4. press — newspapers
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. pound — a weight
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. press — to push
  11. board — to get on
  12. tube — the underground
  13. board — a committee
  14. rule — a law
  15. roll — a list
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. row — a line
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. pop — music
  22. press — a publisher
  23. rule — government
  24. row — to paddle

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