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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. roll — a cake
  3. swing — in golf
  4. roll — a list
  5. board — to get on
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — obliged
  10. staff — employees
  11. scale — size or range
  12. pound — a weight
  13. staff — a stick
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. board — a committee
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. swing — music
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bound — tied together
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. swing — to play on
  24. staff — employees

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