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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. snap — to click
  8. content — happy
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. content — the amount
  11. kick — in football
  12. board — a committee
  13. bank — of a river
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bank — for money
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bank — for money
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. board — to get on
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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