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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. wax — to grow
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. press — a publisher
  8. scale — size or range
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. press — newspapers
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. scale — in music
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. board — to get on
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. branch — a division
  21. lie — to recline
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. press — to push
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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