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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. prune — to trim
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. track — a song
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. row — to paddle
  9. board — a committee
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. board — to get on
  12. track — a path
  13. mate — a partner
  14. rush — hurry
  15. mate — to breed
  16. track — to keep track
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. prune — to trim
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. mate — a friend
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. row — a line

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