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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — to get on
  5. wax — to grow
  6. court — of a king
  7. bank — for money
  8. court — for sport
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. court — of law
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. cue — a signal
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. board — a committee
  24. cue — for pool

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