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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 · race · march · rule · rock · patient · object · nail

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. object — a thing
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. object — an aim
  5. march — the month
  6. rule — government
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. march — music
  10. rule — a law
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — a stone
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. race — the arms race
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. race — humankind
  21. march — the month
  22. race — a contest
  23. rock — music
  24. object — to protest

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