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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 · board · swing · rock · fan · bound · game · firm

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. swing — in golf
  3. wax — to grow
  4. swing — music
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. firm — a company
  8. game — a match
  9. game — wild animals
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rock — a stone
  14. swing — to play on
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. firm — steady
  17. bound — obliged
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bound — tied together
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. rock — music
  23. bound — certain
  24. board — to get on

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