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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. saw — the tool
  4. board — a committee
  5. sharp — clever
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. wax — to grow
  16. stock — goods
  17. saw — the tool
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. can — to be able to
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stock — shares

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