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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — to get on
  5. wax — to grow
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. ball — a great time
  9. fine — all right
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. season — in sport
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. season — of the year
  24. bulb — for light

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