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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. board — to get on
  4. hand — in cards
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. mate — a friend
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. mate — to breed
  16. ball — a dance
  17. board — a committee
  18. mate — a partner

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