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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: can · prune · board · swing · sharp · wax · pit · kick

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. swing — music
  3. board — to get on
  4. swing — in golf
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. prune — to trim
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. sharp — clever
  12. pit — in a race
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. board — a committee
  15. pit — a hole
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. can — to be able to
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. wax — to grow
  21. can — a tin
  22. kick — in football
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. swing — to play on

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