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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: fork · board · clip · tube · racket · rock · pound · chair

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. board — to get on
  3. rock — music
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. rock — a stone
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. clip — a video
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. fork — in a road
  12. clip — for paper
  13. clip — to cut
  14. board — a committee
  15. chair — a leader
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. tube — a container
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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