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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.

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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. face — to confront
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. toast — bread
  6. tear — from crying
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. tear — from crying
  10. pitch — completely
  11. fine — all right
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. staff — employees
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. tear — to rip
  19. face — to point toward
  20. face — part of the head
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. fine — high quality
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — a sports field

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