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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. band — a ring
  3. net — for catching
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. pop — to visit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. band — a music group
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. degree — an amount
  11. pop — music
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. net — in sport
  14. suit — to fit
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. pit — a hole
  18. degree — temperature
  19. pop — soda
  20. pit — in a race
  21. degree — from a university
  22. suit — in cards
  23. net — after costs
  24. band — a rubber band

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