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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: can · board · jam · wax · face · fine · snap · stem

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. can — a tin
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. snap — to click
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — all right
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. can — a tin
  13. board — a committee
  14. face — part of the head
  15. face — to point toward
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. can — to be able to
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. board — to get on
  21. stem — to come from
  22. face — to confront
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. jam — a tight spot

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