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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. ball — a great time
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bulb — for light
  10. squash — to crush
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. ball — a dance
  19. board — to get on
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. squash — the sport
  22. pound — a weight
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bulb — for light

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