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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 · charge · fan · lean · board · face · straw · suit

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. board — to get on
  4. charge — a price
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. suit — clothes
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. lean — to bend
  10. board — a committee
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. suit — to fit
  13. face — to confront
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. charge — in control
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. charge — electricity
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. face — to point toward
  20. wax — to grow
  21. face — part of the head
  22. suit — in cards
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. wax — in the ear

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