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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.

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: season · capital · board · leaves · wave · march · bear · game

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. capital — money
  6. march — the month
  7. board — to get on
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. game — a match
  11. board — a committee
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. game — wild animals
  17. march — the month
  18. march — music
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. season — of the year
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. capital — a city

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