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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · lean · board · cap · wave · hand · deal · rock

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. wax — to grow
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — to bend
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. cap — a hat
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — to get on
  14. hand — in cards
  15. deal — to handle
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — a stone
  19. hand — help
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. cap — of ice
  24. lean — thin

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