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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: rule · board · wave · racket · foot · trunk · capital · craft

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. foot — a measure
  3. board — a committee
  4. craft — a skill
  5. capital — money
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. rule — government
  10. board — to get on
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. capital — a city
  15. craft — boats
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. rule — a law
  24. trunk — of a car

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