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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. fine — high quality
  4. board — a committee
  5. pound — a weight
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. can — a tin
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. mate — a friend
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. spring — the season
  13. mate — a partner
  14. can — a tin
  15. fine — all right
  16. rest — a break
  17. mate — to breed
  18. board — to get on
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. can — to be able to
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. spring — a coil
  23. pass — a permit
  24. spring — of water

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