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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 124 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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. board — a committee
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. rash — hasty
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. present — the time now
  8. board — to get on
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — the fish
  11. pit — in a race
  12. rash — a series
  13. pop — soda
  14. mark — a grade
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — there
  22. pop — music
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pound — a weight

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