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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: net · board · stand · mug · kick · wax

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. mug — a cup
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — in sport
  6. mug — to rob
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. net — after costs
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. stand — to bear
  16. wax — to grow
  17. kick — in football
  18. mug — a face

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