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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: lie · nail · board · cap · kid · chair · pound · object

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. lie — to recline
  4. board — a committee
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. cap — a lid
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. pound — a weight
  9. cap — of ice
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cap — a hat
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. kid — to tease
  18. chair — a leader
  19. object — a thing
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. board — to get on
  22. object — an aim
  23. kid — child
  24. object — to protest

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