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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
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: pitcher · wave · board · march · rash · can · spell · chair

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. can — a tin
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. rash — a series
  9. spell — a short time
  10. march — the month
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — magic
  13. board — to get on
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. rash — hasty
  18. march — music
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. can — a tin
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. march — the month

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