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

Word bank: face · roll · pound · branch · pit · ruler · board · net

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. board — to get on
  3. branch — a division
  4. face — to point toward
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. board — a committee
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. net — for catching
  9. roll — a list
  10. pit — in a race
  11. net — after costs
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. face — part of the head
  16. face — to confront
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pound — a weight
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. roll — a cake
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. ruler — for measuring

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