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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. club — for dancing
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. mine — for digging
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. mark — a grade
  9. foot — a measure
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. board — a committee
  16. mark — a trace
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. board — to get on
  19. club — for golf
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. club — a group
  24. pound — a weight

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