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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: toast · lie · ruler · perch · pound · board · snap · net

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. toast — bread
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. lie — to recline
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. board — to get on
  9. pound — a weight
  10. board — a committee
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. net — after costs
  19. snap — to click
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. net — in sport
  22. perch — the fish
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pound — to hit hard

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