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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. sharp — clever
  6. net — for catching
  7. land — a country
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bore — to drill
  11. land — ground
  12. board — a committee
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bore — to tire
  16. land — to come down
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. net — after costs
  19. wax — to grow
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. net — in sport
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. suit — to fit

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