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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: rash · board · wake · deal · toast · pop · ball · leaves

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. deal — to handle
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. rash — a series
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. rash — hasty
  10. wake — a trail
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pop — to visit
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. ball — a dance
  16. toast — bread
  17. pop — music
  18. board — to get on
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. pop — soda
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. toast — the most admired

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