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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. scale — in music
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. drill — the tool
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. drill — a practice
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. hand — help
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. board — to get on
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. hand — in cards
  18. squash — to crush
  19. board — a committee
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. patient — a sick person

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