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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. board — a committee
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. row — to paddle
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. wind — moving air
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — to get on
  10. wind — moving air
  11. row — a line
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. firm — decided
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. pound — a weight
  19. rock — a stone
  20. foot — a measure
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. firm — a company
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. firm — steady

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