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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. wax — to grow
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. board — to get on
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. perch — the fish
  11. board — a committee
  12. squash — to crush
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fall — the season
  17. craft — boats
  18. fall — to drop
  19. squash — the sport
  20. bark — to shout
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. fall — to drop
  24. perch — for a bird

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