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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. track — to keep track
  3. lean — to bend
  4. kick — in football
  5. board — a committee
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. track — a song
  10. pound — a weight
  11. squash — to crush
  12. track — a path
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. vault — a safe
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. squash — the sport
  23. board — to get on
  24. wave — with your hand

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