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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  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. bound — obliged
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pop — soda
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. sharp — clever
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. rest — a break
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pop — music
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pop — to visit
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — tied together
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. wax — in the ear
  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