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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  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. squash — the sport
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. squash — to crush
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. face — to confront
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. board — a committee
  9. mug — to rob
  10. face — to point toward
  11. wake — a trail
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pass — a permit
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. face — part of the head
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — a cup
  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