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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a committee
  4. track — to keep track
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ground — a position
  8. rest — a break
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. row — a line
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — to protest
  13. rest — what's left
  14. ground — the earth
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. object — a thing
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. ground — crushed
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. row — to paddle
  23. track — a song
  24. rest — what's left

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