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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: stick · pound · ruler · fork · pop · clip

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — music
  6. fork — in a road
  7. clip — to cut
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. pound — a weight
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. clip — a video
  15. clip — for paper
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pop — soda
  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