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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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. craft — a handicraft
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. craft — boats
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. craft — a skill
  12. foot — a measure
  13. shower — to wash
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. rest — what's left
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rest — a break
  22. shower — rain
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fan — to cool the air

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