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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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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: game · stock · current · lie · bear · wax · board · bound

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. game — a match
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. stock — shares
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. current — of water
  10. bound — certain
  11. board — to get on
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. current — happening now
  14. bound — tied together
  15. lie — to recline
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — wild animals
  19. board — a committee
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bear — the animal
  22. current — electric
  23. stock — goods
  24. wax — in the ear

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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