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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. ball — a great time
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. mug — to rob
  8. board — to get on
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bark — to shout
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. ball — a dance
  19. mug — a cup
  20. mug — a face
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. board — a committee
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. leaves — to go away

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