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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. scale — in music
  4. board — a committee
  5. bear — the animal
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. wax — to grow
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. can — a tin
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. kid — to tease
  17. bear — the animal
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. can — a tin
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. can — to be able to
  22. scale — size or range
  23. board — to get on
  24. kid — child

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