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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. lie — to recline
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. wax — to grow
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. present — a gift
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. present — there
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. court — of a king
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. present — the time now
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. court — for sport
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. dip — to sink
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. court — of law
  24. lie — an untruth

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