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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: nail · rule · cell · bay · kick · pound

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. kick — in football
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. cell — in biology
  9. rule — a law
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. rule — government
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. cell — a phone

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