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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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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: wax · charge · board · bay · race · bear · face · tube

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. race — humankind
  5. face — to confront
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. face — part of the head
  9. race — a contest
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. charge — a price
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. board — a committee
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. charge — electricity
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — a container
  23. board — to get on
  24. charge — in control

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