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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. wax — to grow
  3. ball — a dance
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. stock — shares
  6. pit — a hole
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. pit — in a race
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. stock — goods
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. wax — in the ear

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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