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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. board — to get on
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. degree — from a university
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. fall — to drop
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. degree — an amount
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — size or range
  12. spell — a short time
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. fall — the season
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. degree — temperature
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. board — a committee
  23. spell — magic
  24. fall — to drop

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