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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. firm — a company
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. board — to get on
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. board — a committee
  10. firm — steady
  11. band — a music group
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. toast — bread
  14. fork — in a road
  15. band — a ring
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. wax — to grow
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. firm — decided
  24. scale — in music

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