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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 120 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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — certain
  5. net — for catching
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. suit — to fit
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. board — a committee
  12. net — after costs
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bound — obliged
  15. stem — to come from
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. court — for sport
  20. court — of law
  21. court — of a king
  22. suit — in cards
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. pound — a weight

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