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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 · game · safe · march · squash · rule · can · rash

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. rule — a law
  4. march — music
  5. pound — a weight
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. rash — a series
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. rule — government
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. march — the month
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. game — wild animals
  16. game — a match
  17. march — the month
  18. squash — to crush
  19. can — to be able to
  20. rash — hasty
  21. can — a tin
  22. squash — the sport
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. pound — for dogs

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