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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. board — a committee
  7. date — the fruit
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. current — happening now
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. content — the amount
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wax — to grow
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. current — electric
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. content — happy
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. current — of water
  24. date — on the calendar

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