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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. stock — goods
  4. wax — to grow
  5. fine — high quality
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. land — ground
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. can — a tin
  10. board — a committee
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. land — to come down
  20. stock — shares
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. fine — all right
  23. chair — a leader
  24. land — a country

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