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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 116 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
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: stand · row · cue · board · wax · spell · bark · swing

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. cue — for pool
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. spell — letters
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. spell — a short time
  11. swing — in golf
  12. row — a line
  13. board — to get on
  14. cue — a signal
  15. swing — to play on
  16. wax — to grow
  17. cue — a hint
  18. stand — to bear
  19. swing — music
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. spell — magic
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. board — a committee

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