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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. game — wild animals
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stem — to come from
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bound — certain
  12. game — a match
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. board — a committee
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — a price
  18. bound — obliged
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. board — to get on
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bound — tied together
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mouse — for a computer

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