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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. pit — in a race
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. ball — a great time
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. board — to get on
  20. bark — to shout
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a dance
  23. board — a committee
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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