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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — a weight
  3. march — music
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. board — a committee
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — to rob
  10. pass — a permit
  11. march — the month
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. stock — goods
  14. board — to get on
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. march — the month
  18. stock — shares
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. squash — the sport
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. mug — a face
  23. squash — to crush
  24. stock — a soup base

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