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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 120 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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mark — a trace
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. file — a line of people
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. file — a document
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — thin
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. file — a tool
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. board — a committee
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bat — the animal

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