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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. tube — the underground
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. board — to get on
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. firm — decided
  11. chip — to eat
  12. squash — to crush
  13. firm — steady
  14. chip — for betting
  15. board — a committee
  16. squash — the sport
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. firm — a company
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. tube — a container

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