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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 120 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 · wave · wound · board · rock · foot · rash · leaves

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — a measure
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. rash — hasty
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. board — to get on
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. wound — an injury
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. rock — music
  14. sharp — clever
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. rock — a stone
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. board — a committee
  24. rash — on the skin

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