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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. firm — decided
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. rock — a stone
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. firm — a company
  13. board — a committee
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rock — music
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mine — for digging
  22. kick — in football
  23. firm — steady
  24. stand — on your feet

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