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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. suit — clothes
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. board — to get on
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. prune — to trim
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bore — to tire
  18. pound — a weight

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