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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. board — to get on
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — to drop
  5. board — a committee
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — the time now
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. chest — of your body
  10. fall — the season
  11. present — there
  12. chest — of your body
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. roll — a list
  15. chest — a box
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bank — for money
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. roll — a cake

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