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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: pound · jam · chip · foot · ruler · rule

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — a weight
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. chip — for betting
  5. rule — a law
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. rule — government
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. foot — a measure
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. chip — to eat

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