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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. mug — a face
  3. pop — music
  4. mug — to rob
  5. ball — a great time
  6. vault — a safe
  7. pop — soda
  8. sharp — clever
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. mug — a cup
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — for dancing
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pop — to visit
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. board — to get on
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. club — a group
  24. board — a committee

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