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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. pop — soda
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. kid — child
  8. craft — boats
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. season — of the year
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. season — in sport
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pop — music
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. pop — to visit
  20. kid — to tease
  21. board — a committee
  22. mine — for digging
  23. craft — a skill
  24. board — to get on

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