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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. board — to get on
  4. track — a song
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. staff — employees
  7. pass — a permit
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. staff — a stick
  10. track — to keep track
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. staff — employees
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. lie — to recline
  20. scale — size or range
  21. track — a path
  22. scale — in music
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — a committee

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