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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 116 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. hand — help
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. can — a tin
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. hand — in cards
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bank — of a river
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. wax — to grow
  19. bank — for money
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bank — for money
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. board — a committee

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