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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mark — a trace
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. land — a country
  7. can — a tin
  8. firm — decided
  9. can — a tin
  10. firm — steady
  11. wax — to grow
  12. land — ground
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. mark — a grade
  15. march — the month
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. firm — a company
  18. board — a committee
  19. march — music
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. march — the month
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. land — to come down
  24. can — to be able to

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