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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: saw · net · safe · bear · rock · board · march · wax

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. net — after costs
  6. rock — music
  7. board — a committee
  8. saw — the tool
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. march — the month
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. march — the month
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. rock — a stone
  15. net — in sport
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. board — to get on
  20. saw — the tool
  21. march — music
  22. net — for catching
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. wax — to grow

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