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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. stock — shares
  4. sharp — clever
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. wax — to grow
  8. prune — to trim
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bore — to tire
  13. board — a committee
  14. bore — to drill
  15. stock — goods
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. board — to get on
  20. stand — to bear
  21. prune — to trim
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. board — a flat piece

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