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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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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: mate · wave · board · calf · pass · mine · rest · cap

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. board — a committee
  4. cap — a lid
  5. mine — for digging
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. cap — of ice
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. mate — a partner
  13. pass — a permit
  14. rest — a break
  15. mate — to breed
  16. cap — a hat
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. rest — what's left
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. board — to get on
  22. mate — a friend
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. calf — a young animal

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