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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: foot · plane · race · wake · press · kick · pound · board

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. wake — a trail
  3. plane — a tool
  4. foot — a measure
  5. race — a contest
  6. race — humankind
  7. pound — a weight
  8. press — to push
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. press — newspapers
  15. board — a committee
  16. kick — in football
  17. race — the arms race
  18. press — a publisher
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. board — to get on
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. plane — an aircraft

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