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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 120 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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. net — in sport
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wax — to grow
  6. bass — the fish
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. net — after costs
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. board — a committee
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. prune — to trim
  15. board — to get on
  16. bass — low music
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. net — for catching
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wax — for sculpting

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