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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. root — of a word
  3. file — a document
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. file — a tool
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. suit — to fit
  9. file — a line of people
  10. board — a committee
  11. wound — an injury
  12. suit — clothes
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. root — of a plant
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. board — to get on
  19. suit — in cards
  20. root — the cause
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. wax — to grow

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