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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: wind · root · can · pound · ruler · arm · fork · staff

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. can — a tin
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. staff — employees
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. wind — moving air
  13. root — the cause
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fork — in a road
  16. staff — a stick
  17. can — a tin
  18. wind — moving air
  19. root — of a word
  20. staff — employees
  21. root — of a plant
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. arm — a part of something

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