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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. mine — for digging
  3. board — to get on
  4. plane — a tool
  5. wound — an injury
  6. mark — a grade
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. pound — a weight
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. net — in sport
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. mark — a trace
  17. board — a committee
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. net — after costs
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. wound — an injury
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. mine — an explosive

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