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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 120 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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. fall — to drop
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. swing — music
  8. fall — the season
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. object — a thing
  11. stem — to come from
  12. object — to protest
  13. object — an aim
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. fall — to drop
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. board — a committee
  18. chip — for betting
  19. chip — to eat
  20. swing — to play on
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. swing — in golf
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. chip — in a computer

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