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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. mark — a grade
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. board — a committee
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. squash — the sport
  10. board — to get on
  11. game — wild animals
  12. ball — a dance
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. stand — to bear
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. game — a match
  21. squash — to crush
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — to pay attention

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