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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 120 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. tear — from crying
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — a permit
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. tear — to rip
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. wax — to grow
  16. board — a committee
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. land — to come down
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. land — a country
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. tear — from crying
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. land — ground

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