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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. club — for dancing
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. cue — a signal
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pound — a weight
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. board — to get on
  10. wind — moving air
  11. club — a group
  12. cue — for pool
  13. wind — moving air
  14. cue — a hint
  15. club — for golf
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. saw — the tool
  19. capital — a city
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. board — a committee
  22. saw — the tool
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. capital — money

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