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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 124 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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bank — of a river
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a committee
  9. bank — for money
  10. shower — to wash
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. shower — rain
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bank — for money
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. staff — a stick
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. staff — employees
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. staff — employees
  24. wave — with your hand

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