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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. rock — a stone
  4. track — a path
  5. charge — electricity
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pass — a permit
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. face — part of the head
  10. charge — in control
  11. face — to point toward
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. sharp — clever
  14. face — to confront
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. charge — a price
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. wax — to grow
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. track — a song
  23. rock — music
  24. pass — to spend time

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