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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ground — the earth
  4. press — a publisher
  5. row — a line
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. ground — a position
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. row — to paddle
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lean — thin
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. press — to push
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. ground — crushed
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lean — to bend
  22. press — newspapers
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. hide — animal skin

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