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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. stock — goods
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. stock — shares
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. present — the time now
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. board — to get on
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. snap — to click
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. board — a committee
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. present — there
  15. present — a gift
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. wax — to grow
  21. pound — a weight
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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