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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 116 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. dip — to sink
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. file — a line of people
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. saw — the tool
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mate — a friend
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. vault — a safe
  17. file — a document
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. saw — the tool
  20. file — a tool
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. mate — a partner
  24. wax — for sculpting

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