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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. suit — in cards
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. last — final
  12. last — to go on
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. wake — a trail
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. suit — to fit
  21. board — to get on
  22. suit — clothes
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. last — finally

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