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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. present — there
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. object — to protest
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. row — to paddle
  7. wake — a trail
  8. object — a thing
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. board — to get on
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. row — a line
  16. board — a committee
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. object — an aim
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — a gift
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. calf — a young animal

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