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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · pound · bark · mug · object · toast

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. toast — bread
  3. object — a thing
  4. bark — to shout
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. mug — to rob
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. object — an aim
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. mug — a face
  16. pound — a weight
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. ruler — for measuring

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