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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. lean — thin
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. kid — to tease
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. lean — to bend
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. kid — child
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. board — to get on
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — to handle

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