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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: jam · scale · board · lie · mug · wax · race · fall

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fall — the season
  3. mug — a face
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. board — a committee
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. race — the arms race
  8. board — to get on
  9. scale — in music
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a cup
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. race — a contest
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wax — to grow
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. scale — size or range
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — to drop
  23. lie — to recline
  24. race — humankind

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