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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. club — a group
  6. club — for golf
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. kick — in football
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cold — not warm
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. board — a committee
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. club — for dancing
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pass — to succeed

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