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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 124 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. suit — to fit
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. kid — to tease
  5. suit — clothes
  6. stock — shares
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. foot — a measure
  12. mug — to rob
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. mug — a cup
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. stock — goods
  17. suit — in cards
  18. kid — child
  19. mug — a face
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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