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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: ball · board · wax · net · rest · game · stick · bore

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. net — after costs
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bore — to drill
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. wax — to grow
  8. board — a committee
  9. net — for catching
  10. game — a match
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. net — in sport
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. game — wild animals
  17. board — to get on
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bore — to tire
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rest — what's left

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