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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 120 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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. band — a ring
  4. pitch — completely
  5. board — a committee
  6. perch — the fish
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. pit — in a race
  9. band — a music group
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. board — to get on
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. season — of the year
  18. season — in sport
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. band — a rubber band

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