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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. board — to get on
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. present — a gift
  6. band — a ring
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. chest — a box
  9. chest — of your body
  10. root — of a word
  11. band — a music group
  12. root — of a plant
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. present — the time now
  16. march — the month
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. march — music
  19. march — the month
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. chest — of your body
  22. board — a committee
  23. present — there
  24. root — the cause

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