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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. drill — army training
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. drill — a practice
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. drill — the tool
  10. board — to get on
  11. bear — the animal
  12. roll — a cake
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. board — a committee
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. roll — a list
  24. foot — a measure

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