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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — to get on
  4. file — a line of people
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. prune — to trim
  8. can — a tin
  9. bulb — for light
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mug — a cup
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. file — a tool
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bulb — for light
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. file — a document
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. board — a committee
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a face

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