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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 116 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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. mate — to breed
  3. deal — to handle
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. lean — thin
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. board — a committee
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. spring — a coil
  12. lean — to bend
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. board — to get on
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bark — to shout
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. spring — of water
  19. spring — the season
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — a friend

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