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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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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: mark · temple · field · wake · board · lean · deal · wax

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — a committee
  6. lean — thin
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. wax — to grow
  11. deal — to handle
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. mark — a trace
  14. field — farmland
  15. mark — a grade
  16. board — to get on
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. wake — a trail
  20. field — a subject
  21. lean — to bend
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. lean — to rest against

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