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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 sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. track — a path
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a song
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. wax — to grow
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rash — a series
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. date — the fruit
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wake — a trail
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. arm — part of the body

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