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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: land · bay · rash · lie · row · board · content · wave

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. rash — a series
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. land — a country
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. row — a line
  11. board — a committee
  12. row — to paddle
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. land — ground
  16. content — happy
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. land — to come down
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. rash — hasty

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