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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — to get on
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. toast — bread
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. stand — to bear
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. game — wild animals
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. game — a match
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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