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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. deal — to handle
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. board — a committee
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. land — to come down
  15. row — a line
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. fork — in a road
  19. row — to paddle
  20. land — a country
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. can — a tin
  23. board — to get on
  24. land — ground

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