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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 116 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 · board · present · current · wave · deal · bear · straw

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. board — to get on
  3. current — happening now
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wax — to grow
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. board — a committee
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. deal — to handle
  16. current — electric
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. present — there
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. current — of water
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. present — the time now
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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