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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 120 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: game · rush · pound · board · temple · sharp · wave · bore

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bore — to drill
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. game — wild animals
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. board — to get on
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. rush — hurry
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bore — to tire
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. board — a committee
  21. game — a match
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. wave — of the sea

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