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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. fine — high quality
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. board — to get on
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. board — a committee
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. plane — a tool
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. fine — all right
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. plane — an aircraft

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