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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 116 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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. race — humankind
  3. pound — a weight
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pop — to visit
  7. press — to push
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stem — to come from
  10. press — a publisher
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — ground
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. race — the arms race
  17. kick — in football
  18. land — a country
  19. pop — soda
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. press — newspapers
  22. race — a contest
  23. pop — music
  24. ruler — for measuring

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