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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. court — of law
  5. cue — a hint
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. chip — to eat
  9. court — for sport
  10. pound — a weight
  11. cue — a signal
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. band — a music group
  15. chip — for betting
  16. stand — to bear
  17. cue — for pool
  18. band — a ring
  19. game — wild animals
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. court — of a king
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. game — a match

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