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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: march · bear · pound · mouse · scale · pitcher · ruler · ground

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. march — the month
  6. march — music
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ground — crushed
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. scale — in music
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pound — a weight
  17. march — the month
  18. scale — size or range
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. ground — a position
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mouse — the 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