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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: date · snap · mug · row · board · nail · pound · can

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. mug — to rob
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mug — a face
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. snap — to click
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. pound — a weight
  14. mug — a cup
  15. can — to be able to
  16. board — a committee
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. can — a tin
  19. board — to get on
  20. can — a tin
  21. row — a line
  22. date — the fruit
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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