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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. wax — to grow
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. firm — steady
  9. sharp — clever
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. firm — decided
  13. prune — to trim
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. firm — a company
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. prune — to trim

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