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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. game — a match
  4. degree — an amount
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — obliged
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — a weight
  11. degree — temperature
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bound — tied together
  17. board — a committee
  18. game — wild animals
  19. stand — to bear
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. degree — from a university

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