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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. face — to confront
  4. suit — clothes
  5. board — a committee
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. craft — a skill
  11. suit — to fit
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. face — part of the head
  17. march — the month
  18. suit — in cards
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. craft — boats
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. march — the month
  23. march — music
  24. face — to point toward

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