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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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bark — to shout
  3. board — to get on
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. stock — goods
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. club — for dancing
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for golf
  12. board — a committee
  13. bass — low music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. cold — not warm
  18. rock — music
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. bass — the fish
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. stock — shares
  24. cold — an illness

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