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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: deal · pound · stand · file · ground · ruler · pop · stick

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. pop — soda
  3. stand — to bear
  4. file — a document
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. deal — to handle
  11. ground — crushed
  12. pound — a weight
  13. ground — the earth
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. ground — a position
  20. pop — music
  21. file — a line of people
  22. pop — to visit
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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