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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — a committee
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. cold — not warm
  8. board — to get on
  9. cold — an illness
  10. mine — for digging
  11. rash — hasty
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. charge — electricity
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rash — a series
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — a price
  24. cold — the Cold War

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