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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. rule — a law
  4. kick — in football
  5. rock — a stone
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. foot — a measure
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. roll — a list
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — goods
  16. rock — music
  17. bark — to shout
  18. roll — a cake
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. rule — government
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. rule — to rule out

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