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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 116 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
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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: wake · land · board · pound · kick · rock · hide · rush

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. wake — a trail
  3. pound — a weight
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. board — to get on
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rock — music
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. land — a country
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. land — ground
  16. rock — a stone
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. kick — in football
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. land — to come down
  23. board — a committee
  24. rush — hurry

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