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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 116 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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. band — a ring
  3. band — a music group
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. wax — to grow
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. press — a publisher
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. craft — boats
  17. board — a committee
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. press — to push
  22. craft — a skill
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. press — newspapers

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