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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 120 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: bore · deal · bank · present · cap · mark · pound · rule

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bank — for money
  4. bore — to tire
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bank — of a river
  8. present — a gift
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bank — for money
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. mark — a grade
  13. cap — a hat
  14. deal — to handle
  15. rule — government
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. rule — a law
  20. cap — a lid
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. present — there
  23. cap — of ice
  24. present — the time now

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