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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  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. board — a committee
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. kid — to tease
  5. firm — steady
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. toast — bread
  8. firm — a company
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. firm — decided
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — to get on
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. wake — a trail
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. kid — child
  21. snap — to click
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  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