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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. ground — a position
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. rock — a stone
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. pound — a weight
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. ground — the earth
  14. rule — a law
  15. rock — music
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. swing — to play on
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. swing — in golf
  21. swing — music
  22. rule — government
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ground — crushed

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