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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: bound · craft · board · wave · suit · leaves · last · jam

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. last — to go on
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. craft — a skill
  7. suit — to fit
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. suit — clothes
  13. last — final
  14. bound — obliged
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — tied together
  19. last — finally
  20. craft — boats
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. suit — in cards
  23. board — a committee
  24. jam — a tight spot

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