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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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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: wound · can · squash · bear · swing · staff · pound · ruler

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. staff — a stick
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. can — a tin
  5. swing — in golf
  6. staff — employees
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. pound — a weight
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. squash — the sport
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wound — an injury
  20. squash — to crush
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. can — a tin
  24. staff — employees

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