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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 116 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: pound · net · fine · bear · drill · cue · cabinet · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. net — for catching
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cue — a hint
  5. drill — army training
  6. net — in sport
  7. board — a committee
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. pound — a weight
  10. fine — high quality
  11. cue — a signal
  12. fine — all right
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. net — after costs
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. drill — a practice
  20. bear — the animal
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. cue — for pool
  24. drill — the tool

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