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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 120 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: fall · scale · current · pound · fork · pop · bear · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. pop — music
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. scale — in music
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bear — the animal
  10. board — a committee
  11. fall — the season
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fall — to drop
  14. pop — soda
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pound — a weight
  17. current — happening now
  18. current — of water
  19. current — electric
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. scale — size or range
  22. pop — to visit
  23. bear — the animal
  24. fall — to drop

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