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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. ground — a position
  5. ball — a great time
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. date — the fruit
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. game — wild animals
  10. ground — crushed
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. ground — the earth
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. ball — a dance
  22. board — a committee
  23. foot — a measure
  24. game — a match

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