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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: club · fine · staff · pound · ruler · chest · capital · kick

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. club — for dancing
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. chest — of your body
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. staff — a stick
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. capital — money
  9. fine — all right
  10. staff — employees
  11. club — for golf
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. staff — employees
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. capital — a city
  16. club — a group
  17. fine — high quality
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. kick — in football
  22. chest — a box
  23. chest — of your body
  24. pound — a weight

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