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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — to get on
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. shower — rain
  6. root — of a plant
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bound — certain
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. root — the cause
  11. face — to point toward
  12. bound — tied together
  13. root — of a word
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. shower — to wash
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. board — a committee
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. face — to confront
  21. bound — obliged
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. fork — in a road
  24. face — part of the head

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