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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: ruler · fine · pound · pitcher · rush · mark · chest · wound

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. mark — a grade
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. fine — high quality
  7. chest — of your body
  8. mark — a trace
  9. chest — of your body
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pound — a weight
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wound — an injury
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. chest — a box
  23. fine — all right
  24. mark — to pay attention

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