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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 124 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. face — to confront
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. face — to point toward
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pop — soda
  14. bear — the animal
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. lean — thin
  17. bear — the animal
  18. face — part of the head
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wax — to grow
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. lean — to bend
  24. temple — side of the head

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