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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. swing — in golf
  7. board — a committee
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. chip — for betting
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. tear — from crying
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. wax — to grow
  15. board — to get on
  16. swing — to play on
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. tear — to rip
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. fine — all right
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. board — a flat piece

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