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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. board — a committee
  3. ground — a position
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. snap — to click
  6. staff — employees
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. staff — employees
  9. cue — a hint
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. cue — a signal
  12. board — to get on
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. net — after costs
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. net — in sport
  20. ground — the earth
  21. cue — for pool
  22. net — for catching
  23. staff — a stick
  24. pound — a weight

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