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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. suit — to fit
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — to get on
  5. suit — in cards
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. present — a gift
  11. mine — for digging
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. rock — a stone
  15. board — a committee
  16. rock — music
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. suit — clothes
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. wake — a trail
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. present — there

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