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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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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 · wax · bay · club · safe · chest · lie · fork

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. club — for dancing
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. board — a committee
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. club — for golf
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. chest — a box
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. fork — in a road
  15. chest — of your body
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. chest — of your body
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — to grow
  21. board — to get on
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. club — a group
  24. fork — to eat with

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