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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. board — a committee
  3. scale — in music
  4. object — a thing
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. board — to get on
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. shower — to wash
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. wax — to grow
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. object — an aim
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. shower — rain
  15. pass — a permit
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. object — to protest

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