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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. last — finally
  8. board — a committee
  9. scale — in music
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. lean — to bend
  12. board — to get on
  13. last — to go on
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. chip — to eat
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. wax — to grow
  19. prune — to trim
  20. lean — thin
  21. chip — for betting
  22. scale — size or range
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. last — final

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