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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.

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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: dip · board · ball · wave · season · current · pop · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. current — of water
  4. pop — soda
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. current — electric
  7. current — happening now
  8. pop — music
  9. stand — to bear
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. pop — to visit
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. board — to get on
  19. season — of the year
  20. dip — to sink
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. board — a committee
  24. season — in sport

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