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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. lie — to recline
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. game — wild animals
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pitch — completely
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. band — a ring
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. band — a music group
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. cap — of ice
  17. rock — a stone
  18. cap — a hat
  19. rock — music
  20. cap — a lid
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. game — a match
  24. lie — an untruth

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