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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pound · rest · board · bear · lean · rash · current · bay

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. current — happening now
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. lean — to bend
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — a series
  15. rest — a break
  16. current — of water
  17. lean — thin
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rest — what's left

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