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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.

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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. board — to get on
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. cap — a lid
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. cap — a hat
  11. board — a committee
  12. stand — to bear
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. cap — of ice
  17. wax — to grow
  18. chair — a leader

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