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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. mark — a grade
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. wax — to grow
  7. mark — a trace
  8. board — to get on
  9. plane — a tool
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. stock — shares
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stock — goods
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. board — a committee
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. dip — to sink

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