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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.

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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. 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 — to get on
  2. present — there
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pop — to visit
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. pop — soda
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. present — the time now
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — a committee
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pop — music
  15. stock — shares
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mark — a grade
  19. present — a gift
  20. stock — goods
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — to grow
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. 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