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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: wax · stand · board · roll · bay · prune · face · rock

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. roll — a list
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. prune — to trim
  5. face — to point toward
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. face — to confront
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. wax — to grow
  11. board — to get on
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. roll — a cake
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. rock — a stone
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. rock — music
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. board — a committee
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. prune — the fruit

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