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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.

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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: cabinet · wax · row · board · fan · mark · band · ball

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. board — to get on
  3. band — a music group
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. band — a ring
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. ball — a great time
  9. mark — a trace
  10. row — to paddle
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a grade
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. board — a committee
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. row — a line
  21. wax — to grow
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. row — a quarrel

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