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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 120 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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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: board · hide · bear · pass · squash · pitch · wave · mouse

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. board — to get on
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. squash — the sport
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pass — a permit
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. board — a committee
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. hide — animal skin

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