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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. rock — a stone
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. pop — music
  6. board — a committee
  7. pop — soda
  8. kid — child
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — to grow
  13. kid — to tease
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. pop — to visit
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. board — to get on
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rock — music
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. coach — a trainer

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