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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: foot · board · firm · toast · suit · wave · hide · wake

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  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. toast — bread
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. firm — decided
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. suit — to fit
  8. board — to get on
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. firm — a company
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. firm — steady
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. foot — a measure
  16. board — a committee
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. suit — in cards
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. suit — clothes
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wake — a trail
  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