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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: jam · wax · lash · fine · board · nail · cell · scale

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. wax — to grow
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. fine — high quality
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. fine — all right
  13. scale — size or range
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. cell — in biology
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. board — a committee
  19. cell — a phone
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. scale — in music
  24. wax — for sculpting

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