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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. can — a tin
  3. net — in sport
  4. wax — to grow
  5. lean — thin
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. lean — to bend
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. fall — to drop
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. fall — the season
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. net — after costs
  15. dip — to sink
  16. can — to be able to
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. face — to confront
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. fall — to drop
  21. can — a tin
  22. face — part of the head
  23. face — to point toward
  24. net — for catching

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