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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.

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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rush — hurry
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. land — a country
  10. chair — a leader
  11. land — to come down
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. land — ground
  14. pit — in a race
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pit — a hole
  18. rush — a thrill

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