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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pound · coach · ball · dip · rule · tube · hide · ground

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. ground — the earth
  3. dip — to sink
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. ground — a position
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. tube — a container
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. ball — a great time
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rule — a law
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. ball — a dance
  19. tube — the underground
  20. ground — crushed
  21. pound — a weight
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. hide — animal skin

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