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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 120 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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. cap — a hat
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. board — a committee
  6. drill — army training
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. drill — the tool
  12. drill — a practice
  13. cap — of ice
  14. mark — a trace
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. board — to get on
  19. suit — to fit
  20. hand — help
  21. cap — a lid
  22. wax — to grow
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mark — a grade

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