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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
468
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: rock · board · toast · bay · wax · field · dip · object

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. board — a committee
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. field — farmland
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. rock — music
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. field — for sport
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. object — an aim
  14. wax — to grow
  15. toast — bread
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. object — to protest
  19. field — a subject
  20. dip — to sink
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. object — a thing
  23. board — to get on
  24. dip — a sauce

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