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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: snap · board · key · object · current · pound · face · tube

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. snap — to click
  3. board — to get on
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pound — a weight
  6. current — of water
  7. object — an aim
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — to point toward
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. board — a committee
  14. object — to protest
  15. key — for a lock
  16. current — electric
  17. tube — a container
  18. key — in music
  19. face — part of the head
  20. current — happening now
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. tube — the underground
  23. key — the most important part
  24. object — a thing

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