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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. fine — all right
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. board — to get on
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. craft — a skill
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — to trim
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — a practice
  11. fine — high quality
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. drill — the tool
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. wax — to grow
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. board — a committee
  22. craft — boats
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. wax — for sculpting

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