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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. current — of water
  5. march — the month
  6. drill — army training
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. board — to get on
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. current — happening now
  13. stand — to bear
  14. drill — the tool
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. board — a committee
  17. current — electric
  18. march — the month
  19. march — music
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. drill — a practice
  24. board — a flat piece

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