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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. board — to get on
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bound — tied together
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. ball — a great time
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. ball — a dance
  18. board — a committee
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bound — certain
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. board — a flat piece

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