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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 120 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: wake · file · wave · spell · board · pitch · cap · object

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. cap — a lid
  3. pitch — completely
  4. spell — magic
  5. file — a tool
  6. spell — letters
  7. board — to get on
  8. object — to protest
  9. file — a line of people
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — a thing
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. file — a document
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. cap — of ice
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. spell — a short time
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. board — a committee
  24. wave — of the sea

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