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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. lean — to bend
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. spring — of water
  9. board — a committee
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. squash — the sport
  12. board — to get on
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. lean — thin
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. sharp — clever
  19. pound — a weight
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. squash — to crush
  23. spring — a coil
  24. calf — a young animal

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