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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. spell — magic
  5. board — to get on
  6. scale — in music
  7. wake — a trail
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. season — in sport
  10. board — a committee
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. spell — a short time
  14. season — of the year
  15. spell — letters
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. mate — a friend
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. scale — size or range
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. mate — a partner
  24. lash — an eyelash

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