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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  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 — to hit hard
  2. band — a ring
  3. staff — a stick
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. staff — employees
  6. cap — of ice
  7. pound — a weight
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. cap — a lid
  12. pitch — completely
  13. fork — in a road
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. band — a music group
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. cap — a hat
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. staff — employees
  23. board — a committee
  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