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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. rule — government
  3. wax — to grow
  4. root — the cause
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. board — a committee
  7. root — of a plant
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. drill — the tool
  11. root — of a word
  12. toast — bread
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. drill — army training
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. board — to get on
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. rule — a law
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. drill — a practice
  24. wave — with your hand

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