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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. wax — to grow
  3. last — finally
  4. board — to get on
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. last — final
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. stand — to bear
  10. board — a committee
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. last — to go on
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. chip — for betting
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. chip — to eat
  20. pitch — completely
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wax — in the ear

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