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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 116 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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rash — a series
  4. board — a committee
  5. pound — a weight
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lie — to recline
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. sharp — clever
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. game — a match
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. game — wild animals
  20. deal — to handle
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. rash — hasty
  24. sharp — with an edge

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