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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: band · pit · hide · foot · jam · ruler · pound · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  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. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. band — a music group
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. band — a ring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pound — a weight
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. pit — in a race
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. foot — a measure
  23. pit — a hole
  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