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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: board · mug · fine · deal · suit · pound

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. 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. fine — all right
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — to get on
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. mug — to rob
  6. deal — to handle
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. mug — a face
  9. suit — to fit
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. suit — clothes
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. pound — a weight
  14. suit — in cards
  15. mug — a cup
  16. fine — high quality
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. 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