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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: wave · board · jam · mouse · last · stock · face · club

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. face — part of the head
  3. club — for golf
  4. board — a committee
  5. last — to go on
  6. face — to confront
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. club — for dancing
  9. club — a group
  10. last — final
  11. stock — shares
  12. face — to point toward
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. last — finally
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. board — to get on
  24. wave — with your hand

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