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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. pound — a weight
  4. suit — clothes
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. roll — a cake
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. press — a publisher
  12. suit — in cards
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. suit — to fit
  15. press — newspapers
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. press — to push
  18. kick — in football
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to sink
  21. roll — a list
  22. rule — a law
  23. rule — government
  24. pound — for dogs

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