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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. last — finally
  4. board — to get on
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. rash — a series
  7. net — after costs
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. stand — to bear
  12. net — for catching
  13. net — in sport
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. last — to go on
  16. board — a committee
  17. last — final
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. lean — to bend
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. rash — hasty

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