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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: board · object · squash · face · bass · bear · wake · wax

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bear — the animal
  5. object — an aim
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bass — low music
  9. squash — to crush
  10. wax — to grow
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. face — to confront
  15. face — to point toward
  16. squash — the sport
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. face — part of the head
  19. board — to get on
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — a thing
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — a committee

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