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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. drill — army training
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. pound — a weight
  7. band — a ring
  8. drill — a practice
  9. wound — an injury
  10. board — a committee
  11. land — a country
  12. band — a music group
  13. wound — an injury
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. drill — the tool
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. land — ground
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. land — to come down
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. board — to get on

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