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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. roll — a list
  3. board — a committee
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. kid — to tease
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. kid — child
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. roll — a cake
  13. mate — a friend
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. mine — for digging
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. mate — to breed

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