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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. wax — to grow
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. wound — an injury
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. wound — an injury
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mark — a grade
  16. board — a committee
  17. bear — the animal
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mark — a trace
  24. board — a flat piece

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