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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: pound · board · lean · ruler · craft · foot · fork · net

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. board — to get on
  3. lean — thin
  4. pound — a weight
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. net — for catching
  8. lean — to bend
  9. fork — in a road
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. craft — boats
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. craft — a skill
  20. net — in sport
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. net — after costs

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