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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. current — happening now
  3. court — of a king
  4. current — of water
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. court — for sport
  9. current — electric
  10. race — a contest
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. object — a thing
  13. race — the arms race
  14. court — of law
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mine — for digging
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. object — an aim
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. object — to protest
  22. race — humankind
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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