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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. tube — a container
  3. track — a path
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — steady
  6. tube — the underground
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cue — a signal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pound — a weight
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. cue — a hint
  20. firm — a company
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a song
  23. cue — for pool
  24. board — to get on

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