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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. cue — a hint
  6. board — a committee
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. rock — a stone
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — certain
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bound — tied together
  15. board — to get on
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. cap — of ice
  19. wax — to grow
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cap — a lid
  23. rock — music
  24. stand — for spectators

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