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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.

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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: bore · bark · mate · suit · board · deal · wax · stand

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. mate — a friend
  3. bark — to shout
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bore — to drill
  10. suit — clothes
  11. board — to get on
  12. deal — to handle
  13. mate — a partner
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bore — to tire
  16. stand — to bear
  17. suit — in cards
  18. board — a committee
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bore — gave birth

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