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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. lean — thin
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. mug — a face
  5. mark — a grade
  6. squash — to crush
  7. spell — a short time
  8. current — happening now
  9. squash — the sport
  10. spell — magic
  11. board — to get on
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mark — a trace
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. spell — letters
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. current — electric
  20. mug — to rob
  21. current — of water
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. board — a committee

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