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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: pop · field · board · wound · bowl · ruler · perch · wax

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wound — an injury
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. field — for sport
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. field — a subject
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. board — a committee
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wound — an injury
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — to get on
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. field — farmland
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. perch — the fish
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — music

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