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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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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: snap · stand · pit · squash · foot · key · board · wax

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. pit — a hole
  3. squash — to crush
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. key — for a lock
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. foot — a measure
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. key — in music
  11. key — the most important part
  12. board — a committee
  13. wax — to grow
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. board — to get on
  16. stand — to bear
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. snap — to click
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. pit — in a race
  24. wax — in the ear

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