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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. march — the month
  5. dip — to sink
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — a weight
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. cue — for pool
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. march — the month
  13. fork — in a road
  14. rush — hurry
  15. march — music
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. board — to get on
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mate — a friend
  21. cue — a signal
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. mate — to breed
  24. cue — a hint

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