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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.

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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 · kick · drill · wave · pound · swing · bank · plane

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bank — for money
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. drill — the tool
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. swing — music
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — to get on
  14. swing — in golf
  15. drill — army training
  16. plane — a tool
  17. swing — to play on
  18. kick — in football
  19. bank — for money
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bank — of a river
  22. drill — a practice
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. pound — a weight

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