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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 124 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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wax — to grow
  4. rock — a stone
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. wind — moving air
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. date — the fruit
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — a committee
  19. rock — music
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. board — to get on
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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