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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. season — in sport
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. swing — to play on
  8. cap — a hat
  9. rest — what's left
  10. season — of the year
  11. board — to get on
  12. rest — what's left
  13. fall — to drop
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. swing — music
  16. board — a committee
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. cap — a lid
  20. swing — in golf
  21. rest — a break
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. cap — of ice
  24. fall — the season

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