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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. sharp — clever
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. bat — the animal
  7. can — a tin
  8. board — to get on
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. can — a tin
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. board — a committee
  17. pound — a weight
  18. saw — the tool
  19. chair — a leader
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. can — to be able to
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — to go away

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