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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: board · rush · cap · leaves · snap · net · mark · wave

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. net — in sport
  4. cap — a hat
  5. net — after costs
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. cap — a lid
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. cap — of ice
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. snap — to click
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — hurry
  19. mark — a trace
  20. net — for catching
  21. mark — a grade
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. board — to get on

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