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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: board · fall · march · bay · nail · mate · wave · charge

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. march — music
  8. charge — a price
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. march — the month
  11. fall — the season
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. charge — in control
  15. fall — to drop
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. mate — a friend
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. march — the month
  20. board — a committee
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. board — to get on
  24. fall — to drop

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