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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. board — to get on
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. board — a committee
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. last — to go on
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. tube — a container
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. last — finally
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wake — a trail
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. last — final
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. wax — to grow
  20. foot — a measure
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. lash — an eyelash

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