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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. board — a committee
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. band — a ring
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. hand — in cards
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. track — a path
  11. track — to keep track
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. wake — a trail
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. board — to get on
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. band — a music group
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. hand — help
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. track — a song
  24. wave — of the sea

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