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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pit — a hole
  3. face — part of the head
  4. board — to get on
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. rash — a series
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. pit — in a race
  10. face — to confront
  11. net — in sport
  12. board — a committee
  13. face — to point toward
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. chair — a leader
  16. rash — hasty
  17. net — for catching
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. net — after costs
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a friend
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. board — a flat piece

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