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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 · saw · bear · can · wax · court · sharp · bank

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wax — to grow
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. sharp — clever
  5. bank — for money
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bank — of a river
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bank — for money
  10. bear — the animal
  11. can — to be able to
  12. court — of law
  13. bear — the animal
  14. board — to get on
  15. can — a tin
  16. court — of a king
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. court — for sport
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. can — a tin
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. board — a committee

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