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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. staff — employees
  4. board — a committee
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. staff — a stick
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — of water
  12. staff — employees
  13. shower — to wash
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. shower — rain
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. board — to get on
  20. deal — to handle
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. current — electric
  24. board — a flat piece

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