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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pound — a weight
  3. board — a committee
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. suit — to fit
  6. can — a tin
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rock — music
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. suit — clothes
  12. board — to get on
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. suit — in cards
  19. stock — shares
  20. stock — goods
  21. can — to be able to
  22. rock — a stone
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. can — a tin

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