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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 120 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. race — the arms race
  4. game — a match
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pound — a weight
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. race — humankind
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. hand — in cards
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. vault — a safe
  16. race — a contest
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. deal — to handle
  19. game — wild animals
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. hand — help
  24. ruler — for measuring

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