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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: wax · safe · wind · board · hide · wave · sharp · pass

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. sharp — clever
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wax — to grow
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a committee
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wind — moving air
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. wind — moving air
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. pass — a permit
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. board — a flat piece

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