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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: arm · wave · season · staff · dip · date · board · foot

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. board — to get on
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. board — a committee
  7. foot — a measure
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. dip — to sink
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. staff — a stick
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — employees
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. date — the fruit
  23. season — in sport
  24. arm — part of the body

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