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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pound — a weight
  3. key — the most important part
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. ball — a great time
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. ball — a dance
  8. deal — to handle
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. board — a committee
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — to drop
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. fall — the season
  15. key — in music
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. board — to get on
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. key — for a lock

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