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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: suit · bank · board · face · ball · spell · wax · chair

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. spell — letters
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bank — for money
  6. board — a committee
  7. bank — of a river
  8. ball — a dance
  9. board — to get on
  10. spell — magic
  11. face — to confront
  12. ball — a great time
  13. face — to point toward
  14. suit — to fit
  15. chair — a leader
  16. bank — for money
  17. suit — clothes
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. spell — a short time
  22. wax — to grow
  23. face — part of the head
  24. suit — in cards

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