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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. club — a group
  4. shower — to wash
  5. net — after costs
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. club — for dancing
  10. board — to get on
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. content — happy
  13. net — in sport
  14. board — a committee
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. club — for golf
  17. net — for catching
  18. content — the amount
  19. rest — a break
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. rest — what's left
  22. shower — rain
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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