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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 · fork · bark · lie · deal · pit · fan · board

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bark — to shout
  9. pit — in a race
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. board — a committee
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. lie — to recline
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. bark — of a tree

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