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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. row — to paddle
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. tube — the underground
  5. shower — rain
  6. board — a committee
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. row — a line
  10. shower — to wash
  11. game — a match
  12. wax — to grow
  13. firm — steady
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. board — to get on
  18. firm — decided
  19. tube — a container
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. game — wild animals
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. firm — a company

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