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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. court — for sport
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fine — high quality
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. court — of a king
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. wax — to grow
  14. saw — the tool
  15. court — of law
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. saw — the tool
  18. fine — all right
  19. shower — to wash
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. shower — rain

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