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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mug — a cup
  4. board — to get on
  5. mug — a face
  6. board — a committee
  7. rest — what's left
  8. file — a document
  9. mug — to rob
  10. file — a tool
  11. rest — what's left
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. file — a line of people
  15. spell — magic
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. spell — letters
  18. rest — a break

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