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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. board — to get on
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. pound — a weight
  5. fine — high quality
  6. date — the fruit
  7. board — a committee
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — for catching
  10. fine — all right
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. can — to be able to
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. net — in sport
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. rush — hurry
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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