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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 120 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: court · suit · can · rest · pop · board · bay · wax

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. can — a tin
  5. pop — music
  6. court — of law
  7. pop — soda
  8. suit — clothes
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. can — to be able to
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. court — of a king
  15. suit — to fit
  16. pop — to visit
  17. board — a committee
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rest — what's left
  20. board — to get on
  21. wax — to grow
  22. court — for sport
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. bay — a horse colour

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