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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: sharp · present · bear · rule · pop · mug · pound · bulb

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pop — music
  8. rule — a law
  9. pound — a weight
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. pop — soda
  13. present — there
  14. rule — government
  15. mug — to rob
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bear — the animal
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. present — a gift

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