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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. wax — to grow
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. field — a subject
  8. field — farmland
  9. stock — shares
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — a committee
  14. stand — to bear
  15. craft — a skill
  16. stock — goods
  17. field — for sport
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. pound — a weight
  20. craft — boats
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. stand — for spectators

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