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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: pound · ground · rule · stick · bass · bowl · bay · calf

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ground — crushed
  6. bass — low music
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rule — a law
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. ground — a position
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. rule — government
  24. calf — a young animal

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