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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. wound — an injury
  3. face — part of the head
  4. wound — an injury
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. board — a committee
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bank — for money
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — to grow
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — to rob
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. tube — a container
  18. mug — a face
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. face — to point toward
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. face — to confront
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. wax — for sculpting

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