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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: board · rule · wave · pop · spell · foot · chest · bass

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. chest — of your body
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — letters
  5. rule — government
  6. chest — a box
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. pop — soda
  9. spell — a short time
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. board — to get on
  16. bass — the fish
  17. rule — a law
  18. board — a committee
  19. pop — to visit
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bass — low music
  22. chest — of your body
  23. pop — music
  24. foot — a measure

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