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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.

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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: game · board · mouse · sharp · pound · nail · bass · mark

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. game — wild animals
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. mark — a grade
  5. board — to get on
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. sharp — clever
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. board — a committee
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. bass — the fish
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. game — a match
  17. pound — a weight
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bass — low music

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