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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 120 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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a committee
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. perch — the fish
  18. fork — in a road
  19. prune — to trim
  20. wound — an injury
  21. prune — to trim
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. hand — help

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