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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. hand — help
  7. hand — in cards
  8. board — to get on
  9. branch — a division
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. net — for catching
  12. mate — to breed
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. net — after costs
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. mark — a grade
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. net — in sport
  19. mate — a partner
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. board — a committee
  23. mark — a trace
  24. branch — of a tree

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