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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. tear — from crying
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wax — to grow
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. tear — to rip
  10. rule — government
  11. dip — to sink
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. tear — from crying
  18. rule — a law

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