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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. lean — to bend
  3. board — to get on
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. lean — thin
  8. board — a committee
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wax — to grow
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. lie — to recline
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. branch — a division
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bulb — for light

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