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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. can — to be able to
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. can — a tin
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. season — of the year
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. can — a tin
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. pass — a permit
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. season — in sport
  20. date — the fruit
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. mouse — the animal

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