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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. board — a committee
  3. ground — the earth
  4. can — to be able to
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. ground — crushed
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. can — a tin
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. can — a tin
  17. board — to get on
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ground — a position
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wax — to grow
  23. stand — to bear
  24. fan — to cool the air

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