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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. wax — to grow
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. board — to get on
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — a company
  12. swing — in golf
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. swing — to play on
  16. board — a committee
  17. swing — music
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. stock — goods
  20. stock — shares
  21. firm — steady
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. stock — a soup base

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