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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 116 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: hand · swing · board · safe · mug · pitcher · lean · wax

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. hand — in cards
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. board — a committee
  5. mug — to rob
  6. swing — to play on
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — in golf
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. mug — a face
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. wax — to grow
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — thin
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. hand — help
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. mug — a cup
  23. board — to get on
  24. pitcher — a jug

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