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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. suit — clothes
  3. march — music
  4. drill — the tool
  5. march — the month
  6. suit — to fit
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. suit — in cards
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. march — the month
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. rest — what's left
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. drill — army training
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. tube — a container
  20. rest — a break
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. drill — a practice

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