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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. board — to get on
  4. net — for catching
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. net — after costs
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. wax — to grow
  11. band — a music group
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. band — a ring
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. fork — in a road
  21. net — in sport
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. fork — a garden tool

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