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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. bound — tied together
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. band — a music group
  6. band — a ring
  7. ball — a dance
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. spell — letters
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. ball — a great time
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bound — obliged
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bound — certain
  18. spell — a short time
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. spell — magic
  23. board — to get on
  24. leaves — lets stay

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