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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. band — a ring
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. saw — the tool
  8. band — a music group
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. rule — a law
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. rule — government
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. lie — to recline

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