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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. board — a committee
  5. bank — for money
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bank — of a river
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. board — to get on
  17. bank — for money
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. craft — a skill
  21. wake — a trail
  22. craft — boats
  23. wax — to grow
  24. chair — to sit on

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