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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 116 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. shower — to wash
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — a committee
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. pass — a permit
  8. shower — rain
  9. mark — a grade
  10. board — to get on
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. stand — to bear
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mark — a trace
  24. lie — to recline

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