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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 · pass · squash · key · lean · object · calf

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. board — a committee
  3. pass — a permit
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. lean — to bend
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. squash — the sport
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. key — the most important part
  12. object — an aim
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. object — a thing
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — in music
  18. squash — to crush
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. board — to get on
  21. lean — thin
  22. pound — a weight
  23. object — to protest
  24. calf — of the leg

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