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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. wax — to grow
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — in a race
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. ball — a dance
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ball — a great time
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. pit — a hole
  20. snap — to click
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. row — a line
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. arm — part of the body

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