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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. lie — to recline
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. sharp — clever
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. swing — music
  10. pound — a weight
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. board — to get on
  14. swing — to play on
  15. board — a committee
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. swing — in golf
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. racket — for tennis

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