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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. cell — in biology
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. rock — music
  5. board — a committee
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. rock — a stone
  10. kick — in football
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. chair — a leader
  14. cell — a phone
  15. board — to get on
  16. wax — to grow
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. object — an aim
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. object — to protest

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