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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. staff — a stick
  3. swing — in golf
  4. game — wild animals
  5. wind — moving air
  6. swing — music
  7. staff — employees
  8. game — a match
  9. board — to get on
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. board — a committee
  14. pound — a weight
  15. swing — to play on
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. wind — moving air
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. staff — employees
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. ruler — for measuring

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