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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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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: wax · wave · board · pop · foot · track · rule · nail

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  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. board — to get on
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. pop — soda
  4. track — to keep track
  5. wax — to grow
  6. rule — government
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. rule — a law
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. foot — a measure
  18. track — a path
  19. track — a song
  20. pop — to visit
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. board — a committee
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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