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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. net — in sport
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. kid — child
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. game — wild animals
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. current — of water
  10. kid — to tease
  11. board — a committee
  12. scale — in music
  13. current — happening now
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. current — electric
  17. game — a match
  18. net — for catching
  19. scale — size or range
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. net — after costs
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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