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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 120 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: craft · cap · wake · wave · press · board · mug · foot

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. board — a committee
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. press — a publisher
  6. board — to get on
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. mug — a cup
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. wake — a trail
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — of ice
  15. foot — a measure
  16. craft — boats
  17. mug — to rob
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. craft — a skill
  20. press — to push
  21. press — newspapers
  22. mug — a face
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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