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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. board — to get on
  4. pop — to visit
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. roll — a list
  7. tube — the underground
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. file — a document
  10. tube — a container
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. board — a committee
  13. spell — a short time
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. pop — soda
  16. file — a line of people
  17. pop — music
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — magic
  21. roll — a cake
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. file — a tool
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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