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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: lash · land · object · board · wake · march · stick · wax

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. object — an aim
  7. march — the month
  8. object — to protest
  9. land — a country
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. land — ground
  12. land — to come down
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. board — a committee
  16. wake — a trail
  17. march — the month
  18. board — to get on
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. march — music
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. object — a thing
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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