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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. board — to get on
  3. ground — crushed
  4. key — for a lock
  5. suit — in cards
  6. board — a committee
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. tear — from crying
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. key — in music
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — a weight
  13. tear — from crying
  14. rash — a series
  15. ground — a position
  16. key — the most important part
  17. suit — to fit
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — high quality
  21. tear — to rip
  22. suit — clothes
  23. rash — hasty
  24. ground — the earth

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