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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lean · present · mate · board · foot · cap · patient · wave

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. present — a gift
  3. cap — of ice
  4. mate — to breed
  5. cap — a lid
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. cap — a hat
  9. mate — a partner
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. present — there
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. mate — a friend
  16. foot — a measure
  17. present — the time now
  18. lean — to bend
  19. board — to get on
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. lean — thin
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. board — a committee

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