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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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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. cap — of ice
  5. swing — music
  6. track — a song
  7. cap — a lid
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. swing — in golf
  10. track — to keep track
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. swing — to play on
  14. cap — a hat
  15. track — a path
  16. board — a committee
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. board — to get on

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