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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: current · tube · board · foot · pound · pop · arm · snap

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. current — of water
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — to visit
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. current — happening now
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. tube — the underground
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. pop — music
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. board — a committee
  18. current — electric
  19. tube — a container
  20. board — to get on
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pound — a weight
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. snap — to click

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