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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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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a great time
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. board — a committee
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. fork — in a road
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. board — to get on
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pound — a weight
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. date — the fruit
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. 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