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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. roll — a list
  3. wax — to grow
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — to get on
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. game — a match
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. rock — a stone
  12. game — wild animals
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. snap — to click
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. rock — music
  20. roll — a cake
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — to sink
  23. board — a committee
  24. dip — a sauce

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