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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. saw — the tool
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. board — to get on
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. wax — to grow
  14. rest — what's left
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bark — to shout
  17. mark — a trace
  18. board — a committee
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. saw — the tool
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. toast — bread
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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