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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wake — a trail
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. lean — to bend
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. board — a committee
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. lean — thin
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. club — for dancing
  20. club — a group
  21. board — to get on
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. trunk — of a car

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