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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  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. bear — to put up with
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wax — to grow
  6. board — a committee
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rock — a stone
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. stock — shares
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lean — thin
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rock — music
  19. stock — goods
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. lean — to bend
  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