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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. mark — a trace
  3. firm — a company
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. board — to get on
  9. mark — a grade
  10. shower — to wash
  11. cap — of ice
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. firm — steady
  16. cap — a hat
  17. shower — rain
  18. firm — decided
  19. board — a committee
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. cap — a lid
  23. pitch — completely
  24. branch — a division

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