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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. pound — a weight
  3. club — for golf
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. club — a group
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. board — to get on
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — the fruit
  20. board — a committee
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. game — wild animals
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. club — for dancing

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