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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. rock — a stone
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. board — a committee
  6. track — to keep track
  7. rash — hasty
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. rash — a series
  12. board — to get on
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. track — a song
  18. rock — music
  19. track — a path
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. rash — on the skin

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