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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: board · pound · bear · tear · bay · current · fine · rash

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bear — the animal
  5. fine — high quality
  6. board — a committee
  7. current — of water
  8. tear — from crying
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bear — the animal
  12. current — happening now
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. current — electric
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — a series
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. tear — from crying
  22. pound — a weight
  23. board — to get on
  24. tear — to rip

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