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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. mine — for digging
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wake — a trail
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. board — a committee
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. can — a tin
  17. snap — to click
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. mine — belonging to me

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