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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pit — a hole
  7. ball — a great time
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. board — to get on
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a hat
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. branch — a division
  20. board — a committee
  21. pit — in a race
  22. cap — a lid
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a dance

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