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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: bay · object · band · season · mug · board · fork · wax

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mug — a cup
  6. band — a music group
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. season — of the year
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. band — a ring
  12. object — an aim
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. board — a committee
  16. object — a thing
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. board — to get on
  19. season — in sport
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. mug — a face
  23. object — to protest
  24. wax — for sculpting

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