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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. board — a committee
  3. can — a tin
  4. capital — a city
  5. net — in sport
  6. capital — money
  7. can — to be able to
  8. board — to get on
  9. perch — the fish
  10. can — a tin
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. net — after costs
  15. firm — decided
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — clothes
  19. net — for catching
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. pound — a weight
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. firm — steady

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