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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. club — for golf
  3. fine — all right
  4. track — a song
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. club — a group
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fine — high quality
  11. pound — a weight
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. club — for dancing
  14. board — a committee
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. lie — to recline
  17. track — a path
  18. track — to keep track
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — to get on
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. lie — an untruth

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