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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. board — to get on
  4. prune — to trim
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. board — a committee
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. hand — in cards
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. hand — help
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. plane — a tool
  17. prune — to trim
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. rush — hurry
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. foot — a measure
  24. rush — a thrill

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