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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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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: wave · sharp · board · suit · lash · fall · bound · face

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. fall — to drop
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — clothes
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. face — to point toward
  9. fall — the season
  10. suit — to fit
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to confront
  13. board — a committee
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bound — obliged
  20. board — to get on
  21. bound — certain
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. sharp — clever
  24. bound — tied together

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