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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wax — to grow
  3. chest — a box
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. pit — in a race
  6. chest — of your body
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. board — a committee
  14. chest — of your body
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. board — to get on
  22. pit — a hole
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. stand — to bear

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