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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: board · rush · chest · rule · wave · bowl · charge · bay

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. chest — a box
  6. charge — electricity
  7. board — to get on
  8. chest — of your body
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. rule — government
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. charge — in control
  15. rule — a law
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. charge — a price
  19. rush — hurry
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. chest — of your body
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rule — to rule out

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