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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. lean — to bend
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. board — to get on
  6. branch — a division
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — a measure
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — the fish
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — in a race
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — a committee
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. lean — thin
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bass — low music

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