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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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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: can · current · pound · board · mate · patient · plane · bass

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. board — a committee
  3. mate — a partner
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. can — a tin
  7. current — happening now
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a friend
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. current — of water
  13. current — electric
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — the fish
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. board — to get on
  23. bass — low music
  24. patient — a sick person

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