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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pound — a weight
  3. tube — a container
  4. board — to get on
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. deal — to handle
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — thin
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. snap — to click
  13. rush — hurry
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. tube — the underground
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. stock — goods
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. board — a committee
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. stock — shares
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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