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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. wax — to grow
  7. dip — to sink
  8. net — after costs
  9. kid — child
  10. firm — decided
  11. net — for catching
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. kid — to tease
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. firm — steady
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. net — in sport
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. firm — a company

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