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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. tear — from crying
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. board — a committee
  6. foot — a measure
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. vault — a safe
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. wax — to grow
  14. suit — in cards
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. tear — from crying
  23. plane — a tool
  24. tear — to rip

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