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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. board — a committee
  3. squash — to crush
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. fall — the season
  12. board — to get on
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — to drop
  18. squash — the vegetable

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