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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: wake · wax · dip · spring · suit · wind · board · jam

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. board — to get on
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. suit — in cards
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. spring — a coil
  17. suit — to fit
  18. spring — the season
  19. wax — to grow
  20. board — a committee
  21. suit — clothes
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. spring — of water
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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