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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — to get on
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bore — to drill
  7. charge — a price
  8. present — a gift
  9. charge — electricity
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. board — a committee
  12. present — the time now
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — of ice
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bore — to tire
  17. present — there
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. cap — a lid
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. charge — in control
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bore — gave birth

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