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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
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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: spring · sharp · wave · scale · board · lie · object · cabinet

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. sharp — clever
  3. object — an aim
  4. scale — size or range
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. lie — to recline
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. board — to get on
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. object — a thing
  14. board — a committee
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. object — to protest
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. scale — in music
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. spring — of water
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. spring — a coil
  24. cabinet — ministers

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