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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. board — to get on
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. rest — a break
  5. lean — thin
  6. mug — a cup
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. rest — what's left
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. mug — a face
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. pound — a weight
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bark — to shout
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. board — a committee

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