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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 · stock · squash · toast · last · wax · stick · arm

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. last — finally
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. toast — bread
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. squash — the sport
  8. squash — to crush
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. stock — goods
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. last — final
  15. board — to get on
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. last — to go on
  21. stock — shares
  22. board — a committee
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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