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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 120 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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. shower — rain
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. object — to protest
  5. season — of the year
  6. board — to get on
  7. rash — hasty
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. object — an aim
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. rash — a series
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. object — a thing
  16. season — in sport
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wake — a trail
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. deal — to handle
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. shower — to wash

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