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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fall · board · ground · wave · nail · spell · kick · rash

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. ground — the earth
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — hasty
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. spell — a short time
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. fall — to drop
  11. board — a committee
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — crushed
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. fall — to drop
  17. kick — in football
  18. spell — magic
  19. rash — a series
  20. fall — the season
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. board — to get on
  23. spell — letters
  24. nail — for a hammer

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