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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. object — to protest
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. object — an aim
  12. board — a committee
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. board — to get on
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. object — a thing
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. sharp — clever
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. nail — for a hammer

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