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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: patient · cap · pop · wax · board · club · hide · fine

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. cap — a hat
  4. wax — to grow
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. board — to get on
  8. club — for dancing
  9. club — for golf
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — soda
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. cap — of ice
  15. fine — all right
  16. board — a committee
  17. cap — a lid
  18. pop — to visit
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. fine — high quality
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. club — a group

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