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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: field · sharp · fork · kick · board · wax · wake · fine

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. kick — in football
  3. sharp — clever
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. field — farmland
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. wax — to grow
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. board — to get on
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. board — a committee
  12. fine — high quality
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. fork — in a road
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. fine — all right
  20. wake — a trail
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. field — a subject
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. field — for sport

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