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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. bark — to shout
  3. pound — a weight
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ball — a great time
  6. land — a country
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bound — certain
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. land — to come down
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. land — ground
  19. chest — a box
  20. chest — of your body
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bound — obliged
  24. racket — a loud noise

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