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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stand — to bear
  3. club — a group
  4. cap — a hat
  5. pass — a permit
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. kick — in football
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. cap — of ice
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — to grow
  16. board — to get on
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. club — for golf
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — a committee
  23. cap — a lid
  24. club — for dancing

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