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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. mate — a friend
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wax — to grow
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. rest — a break
  8. craft — boats
  9. face — part of the head
  10. rest — what's left
  11. face — to point toward
  12. mate — to breed
  13. wake — a trail
  14. board — a committee
  15. mate — a partner
  16. face — to confront
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. board — to get on
  23. rest — what's left
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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