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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. bank — for money
  9. current — of water
  10. lie — to recline
  11. cell — in biology
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. wax — to grow
  15. current — electric
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. cell — a phone
  18. current — happening now
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. arm — a part of something

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