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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: roll · coach · board · mark · can · lean · game · wave

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. can — a tin
  3. mark — a trace
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. game — wild animals
  6. game — a match
  7. lean — thin
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. board — to get on
  10. lean — to bend
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. board — a committee
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. roll — a list
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. can — a tin
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. roll — a cake
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. can — to be able to
  24. mark — a grade

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