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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: scale · nail · bore · bat · present · jam · pound · board

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. present — the time now
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bat — the animal
  5. scale — in music
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. present — there
  12. board — a committee
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. board — to get on
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bore — to tire
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. present — a gift
  24. bore — to drill

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