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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 120 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
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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: object · board · snap · staff · ball · pound · rush · rest

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  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. staff — employees
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. board — a committee
  4. staff — a stick
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rest — a break
  7. object — an aim
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. ball — a dance
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. pound — a weight
  13. snap — to click
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rest — what's left
  17. staff — employees
  18. rest — what's left
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. board — to get on
  23. object — to protest
  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