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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 is an ace ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. rock — a stone
  3. pound — a weight
  4. board — to get on
  5. rash — a series
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. rock — music
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. board — a committee
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pitcher — a jug

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