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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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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 · chip · rock · mouse · wave · present · stand · lash

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rock — music
  5. present — there
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. board — a committee
  9. present — a gift
  10. chip — to eat
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. chip — for betting
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. present — the time now
  20. rock — a stone
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. chip — in a computer

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