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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. object — a thing
  4. suit — in cards
  5. board — to get on
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. board — a committee
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. wound — an injury
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. object — an aim
  12. ground — the earth
  13. wound — an injury
  14. ground — a position
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ground — crushed
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. suit — clothes
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. object — to protest
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wave — of the sea

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