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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bore — to tire
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. lean — thin
  15. wound — an injury
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. hand — help
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. hand — in cards
  23. lean — to bend
  24. board — a committee

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