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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.

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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 · pop · cabinet · last · wake · suit · bay · wax

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. last — finally
  6. pop — soda
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. last — final
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. last — to go on
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. board — a committee
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. suit — in cards
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. board — to get on
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — music
  24. wax — to grow

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