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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: sharp · cap · rock · pound · straw · roll · fan · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. pound — a weight
  4. rock — a stone
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. cap — of ice
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. cap — a hat
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. rock — music
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. roll — a cake
  19. cap — a lid
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. board — a committee
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. roll — a list

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