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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pound — a weight
  3. board — a committee
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — in golf
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. race — humankind
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. board — to get on
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bulb — for light
  15. race — a contest
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. swing — music
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. race — the arms race

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