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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mug — a cup
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. mark — a trace
  6. pound — a weight
  7. mug — a face
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. squash — to crush
  11. land — to come down
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — government
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. can — a tin
  17. land — ground
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. can — a tin
  20. perch — the fish
  21. land — a country
  22. mug — to rob
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — the sport

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