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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: tube · board · wound · lie · mouse · face · wax · bowl

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. lie — to recline
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. tube — a container
  6. face — to point toward
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — to get on
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. tube — the underground
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wax — to grow
  18. face — to confront
  19. wound — an injury
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. face — part of the head

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