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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. roll — a list
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. capital — a city
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. march — the month
  10. lean — to bend
  11. board — a committee
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. capital — money
  14. roll — a cake
  15. lean — thin
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. suit — clothes
  20. board — to get on
  21. lie — to recline
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. march — the month
  24. march — music

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