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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 116 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: wave · rule · dip · current · cabinet · lean · board · cap

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. current — electric
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — to bend
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. rule — a law
  10. board — a committee
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — government
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — to get on
  16. cap — a hat
  17. lean — thin
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. dip — to sink
  20. cap — of ice
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. current — happening now
  23. cap — a lid
  24. current — of water

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