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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: sharp · fall · suit · wave · board · nail · face · rash

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. fall — to drop
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. suit — clothes
  5. fall — the season
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. fall — to drop
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. sharp — clever
  11. face — to point toward
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rash — a series
  14. face — part of the head
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rash — hasty
  19. face — to confront
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. board — to get on
  22. suit — in cards
  23. board — a committee
  24. suit — to fit

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