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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. wax — to grow
  4. field — for sport
  5. perch — the fish
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — a thing
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. field — a subject
  15. fork — in a road
  16. field — farmland
  17. board — to get on
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. object — an aim
  20. pop — to visit
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. board — a committee
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — music

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