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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: deal · board · wave · leaves · club · wake · band · jam

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. club — for dancing
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. band — a ring
  7. band — a music group
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. board — to get on
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. deal — to handle
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. board — a committee
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. wake — a trail
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — a group
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. deal — an agreement

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