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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. game — a match
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. drill — a practice
  8. game — wild animals
  9. board — to get on
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. board — a committee
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. drill — the tool
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bark — to shout
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. game — a kind of play

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