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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. row — a line
  5. cue — a signal
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. face — part of the head
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cue — a hint
  12. board — to get on
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. fork — in a road
  17. face — to point toward
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. face — to confront
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. cue — for pool
  22. row — to paddle
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. board — a committee

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