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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. face — part of the head
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. bound — obliged
  6. face — to point toward
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. date — the fruit
  10. ground — the earth
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bound — tied together
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. kick — in football
  17. bound — certain
  18. ground — a position
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. wound — an injury
  21. ground — crushed
  22. wound — an injury
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. face — to confront

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