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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: board · pop · key · shower · wax · rule · object · patient

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. rule — a law
  3. key — in music
  4. object — a thing
  5. pop — to visit
  6. rule — government
  7. shower — to wash
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a committee
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. wax — to grow
  15. object — an aim
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — the most important part
  20. shower — rain
  21. pop — music
  22. pop — soda
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. object — to protest

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