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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  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. club — a group
  3. rest — a break
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. rest — what's left
  6. club — for golf
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. rest — what's left
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fork — in a road
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. stock — goods
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. club — for dancing
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. stock — shares
  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