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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  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 — with your hand
  2. spell — letters
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. field — for sport
  5. object — a thing
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. object — an aim
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. chair — a leader
  13. board — to get on
  14. spell — a short time
  15. object — to protest
  16. board — a committee
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. spell — magic
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. field — a subject
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. field — farmland
  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