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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mark — a trace
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. wax — to grow
  5. mark — a grade
  6. board — a committee
  7. bound — tied together
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. rest — what's left
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bound — obliged
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rest — a break
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bound — certain
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. board — to get on

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