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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: ball · bore · board · can · bear · lean · wake · pound

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bear — the animal
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. can — to be able to
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. board — to get on
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. can — a tin
  17. board — a committee
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. ball — a great time
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — thin
  23. can — a tin
  24. wake — before a funeral

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