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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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Word bank
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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: pop · bore · stand · face · leaves · hide · pound · ruler

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bore — to tire
  6. pop — music
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. bore — to drill
  9. pop — to visit
  10. face — to confront
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. pop — soda
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. face — part of the head
  23. face — to point toward
  24. stand — for spectators

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