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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: board · cell · safe · cabinet · wax · ground · fall · hide

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. fall — to drop
  3. ground — a position
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. fall — to drop
  6. ground — the earth
  7. fall — the season
  8. wax — to grow
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. ground — crushed
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. board — to get on
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. cell — a phone
  24. wax — for sculpting

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