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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — a weight
  4. board — a committee
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pit — a hole
  10. clip — a video
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. saw — the tool
  13. clip — for paper
  14. clip — to cut
  15. pass — a permit
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. board — to get on
  18. pit — in a race

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