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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. net — for catching
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. net — after costs
  7. board — a committee
  8. pit — in a race
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. game — wild animals
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. present — a gift
  15. fork — in a road
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. present — there
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. pit — a hole
  21. net — in sport
  22. board — to get on
  23. game — a match
  24. present — the time now

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