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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 120 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: present · ruler · suit · dip · cabinet · foot · pound · mine

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. foot — a measure
  4. present — there
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. mine — for digging
  9. dip — to sink
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. pound — a weight
  15. present — a gift
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. present — the time now

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