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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: object · can · hide · temple · board · wave · bear · fall

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. object — to protest
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. fall — the season
  7. bear — the animal
  8. can — to be able to
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fall — to drop
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. can — a tin
  15. object — a thing
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. can — a tin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. board — a committee
  22. object — an aim
  23. bear — the animal
  24. fall — to drop

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