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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: bulb · pop · net · jam · ruler · court · pound · foot

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pop — music
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. net — in sport
  8. bulb — for light
  9. net — for catching
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. court — of law
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. net — after costs
  16. pop — soda
  17. foot — a measure
  18. court — of a king
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. pop — to visit
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. bulb — for light
  23. court — for sport
  24. ruler — for measuring

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