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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 116 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. bulb — for light
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. board — a committee
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. fork — in a road
  9. wax — to grow
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. firm — decided
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. board — to get on
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stand — to bear
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — a company
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bulb — for light
  22. branch — a division
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. leaves — lets stay

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