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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. pit — in a race
  3. wax — to grow
  4. rash — a series
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pit — a hole
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. saw — the tool
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. current — of water
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. rash — hasty
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. foot — a measure
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. saw — the tool
  20. current — electric
  21. current — happening now
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. bowl — to roll

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