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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. board — to get on
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. can — a tin
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. board — a committee
  11. chair — a leader
  12. game — a match
  13. spell — magic
  14. can — a tin
  15. cap — a hat
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. cap — a lid
  18. game — wild animals
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — a short time
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. can — to be able to
  24. wave — with your hand

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