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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: degree · mark · wax · capital · bay · board · stick · chair

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. board — to get on
  3. degree — temperature
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. capital — money
  9. wax — to grow
  10. degree — an amount
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. board — a committee
  14. degree — from a university
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. chair — a leader
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. capital — a city
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bay — a horse colour

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