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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 116 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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. drill — a practice
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. drill — the tool
  6. last — finally
  7. last — to go on
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. rock — a stone
  10. object — an aim
  11. wake — a trail
  12. lean — thin
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. rock — music
  16. board — to get on
  17. object — to protest
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. lean — to bend
  20. last — final
  21. drill — army training
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. object — a thing
  24. rock — to move gently

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