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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 · board · charge · mouse · jam · stand · ground · swing

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. wax — to grow
  5. board — to get on
  6. swing — in golf
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. board — a committee
  10. swing — to play on
  11. charge — electricity
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. charge — in control
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. ground — a position
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. ground — crushed
  22. stand — to bear
  23. charge — a price
  24. swing — 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