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

Word bank: bore · stick · object · squash · pound · rule

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. squash — the sport
  6. pound — a weight
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. object — an aim
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bore — to tire
  11. squash — to crush
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. object — a thing
  15. object — to protest
  16. rule — a law
  17. bore — to drill
  18. rule — government

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