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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: wave · snap · ground · bear · fall · bay · board · stem

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a committee
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bear — the animal
  10. snap — to click
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. ground — a position
  13. fall — the season
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ground — crushed
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. bear — the animal
  20. fall — to drop
  21. stem — to come from
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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