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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 116 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
468
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: deal · wax · mine · board · patient · calf · wave · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. deal — to handle
  6. board — to get on
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wax — to grow
  14. board — a committee
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mine — for digging

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