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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 · foot · pop · bulb · dip · board · rock · face

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. face — part of the head
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. wax — to grow
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. board — to get on
  10. rock — a stone
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. foot — a measure
  13. pop — soda
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. face — to confront
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. rock — music
  21. pop — music
  22. face — to point toward
  23. board — a committee
  24. foot — the bottom

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