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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 116 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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. race — the arms race
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. wax — to grow
  6. face — to confront
  7. club — for golf
  8. face — to point toward
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. face — part of the head
  11. charge — a price
  12. club — for dancing
  13. board — a committee
  14. degree — an amount
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. degree — from a university
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — electricity
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. degree — temperature
  22. club — a group
  23. race — humankind
  24. race — a contest

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