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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. cue — a signal
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bank — for money
  5. craft — boats
  6. object — a thing
  7. board — to get on
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bank — of a river
  10. row — a line
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. craft — a skill
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — an aim
  17. board — a committee
  18. cue — a hint
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — a trail
  23. pound — a weight
  24. bank — for money

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