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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. board — a committee
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — music
  6. board — to get on
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bore — to drill
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pound — a weight
  12. mug — to rob
  13. field — a subject
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. lean — thin
  18. field — for sport
  19. mug — a face
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. lean — to bend
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. field — farmland
  24. bore — to tire

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