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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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. chest — of your body
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. chest — a box
  7. chest — of your body
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. squash — to crush
  10. board — a committee
  11. bank — for money
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bear — the animal
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. board — to get on
  20. bank — of a river
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bank — for money
  23. squash — the sport
  24. plane — a tool

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