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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. fine — all right
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pound — a weight
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — to get on
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. board — a committee
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. sharp — clever
  17. mark — a grade
  18. stand — to bear
  19. mark — a trace
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. rush — hurry
  24. pound — to hit hard

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