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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: wound · wax · craft · rest · object · board · cabinet · coach

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  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. rest — what's left
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wound — an injury
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. object — a thing
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a skill
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. object — an aim
  17. wax — to grow
  18. rest — what's left
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rest — a break
  22. board — a committee
  23. object — to protest
  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