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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: face · can · board · wave · pitch · race · ground · stand

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. race — a contest
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. can — a tin
  6. face — part of the head
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. can — to be able to
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. can — a tin
  11. stand — to bear
  12. face — to confront
  13. board — a committee
  14. race — the arms race
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. ground — crushed
  18. ground — the earth
  19. race — humankind
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. face — to point toward
  22. pitch — completely
  23. ground — a position
  24. wave — 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