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

Word bank: cabinet · ruler · rule · pound · toast · spell

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. spell — letters
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. spell — a short time
  6. toast — bread
  7. pound — a weight
  8. rule — a law
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. rule — government
  13. spell — magic
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. pound — to hit hard

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