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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. board — to get on
  3. wax — to grow
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. kick — in football
  6. suit — in cards
  7. board — a committee
  8. suit — to fit
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. bulb — for light
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. object — a thing
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — an injury
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. suit — clothes
  22. object — an aim
  23. wax — for sculpting
  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