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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
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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: saw · board · mark · pit · fine · straw · bowl · wax

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. fine — all right
  4. saw — the tool
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. fine — high quality
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. mark — a trace
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pit — in a race
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. mark — a grade
  20. board — a committee
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. board — to get on
  23. wax — to grow
  24. pit — a hole

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