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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. shower — rain
  3. board — to get on
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. march — the month
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. rest — what's left
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rest — a break
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. march — music
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. shower — to wash
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. board — a committee
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rest — what's left
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. march — the month

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