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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — magic
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. firm — a company
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. firm — steady
  14. branch — a division
  15. spell — a short time
  16. board — to get on
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. wound — an injury
  22. firm — decided
  23. board — a committee
  24. suit — in cards

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