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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 116 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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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mark — a trace
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. fall — to drop
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. board — to get on
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fall — to drop
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. fall — the season
  14. mark — a grade
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. wax — for sculpting

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