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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. board — a committee
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. land — to come down
  6. land — a country
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. track — a path
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bank — for money
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bear — the animal
  18. wax — to grow
  19. track — to keep track
  20. tube — the underground
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. land — ground
  23. tube — a container
  24. board — to get on

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