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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: swing · wax · board · fork · mate · fan · date · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. swing — in golf
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fork — in a road
  7. date — the fruit
  8. swing — to play on
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. board — a committee
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. mate — a friend
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. swing — music
  19. wax — to grow
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. mate — a partner
  22. board — to get on
  23. mate — to breed
  24. fork — to eat with

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