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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  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. wave — a sudden rise
  3. branch — a division
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. stand — to bear
  12. board — a committee
  13. bear — the animal
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. board — to get on
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. wind — moving air
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. foot — a measure
  20. bear — the animal
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. wind — moving air
  23. board — a flat piece
  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