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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. pop — music
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — a measure
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. drill — the tool
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. drill — a practice
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. rule — a law
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. cell — a phone
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pop — to visit
  21. rule — government
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. cell — in biology
  24. pop — soda

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