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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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. board — a committee
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — boats
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — to bear
  14. board — to get on
  15. branch — a division
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wax — to grow
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. fine — all right
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. branch — of a tree

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