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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: pit · cue · spring · cap · rash · board · firm · pound

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. cue — a hint
  3. board — to get on
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. cap — a lid
  6. pit — a hole
  7. cap — a hat
  8. firm — decided
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. rash — a series
  11. spring — a coil
  12. rash — hasty
  13. firm — a company
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. cap — of ice
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. pound — a weight
  20. spring — the season
  21. pit — in a race
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. spring — of water
  24. firm — steady

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