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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. last — final
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. cap — of ice
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. cap — a lid
  8. last — to go on
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. board — to get on
  11. cap — a hat
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. last — finally
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. toast — bread
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. board — a committee
  24. pound — to hit hard

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