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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 120 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 the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. fall — the season
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. object — a thing
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — an aim
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. fall — to drop
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. wax — to grow
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. season — in sport
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. season — of the year

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