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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. land — to come down
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bass — the fish
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a great time
  13. board — a committee
  14. bass — low music
  15. land — a country
  16. wake — a trail
  17. land — ground
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. wave — of the sea

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