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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 116 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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. rush — hurry
  3. object — to protest
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. object — a thing
  6. lean — thin
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. spring — the season
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. object — an aim
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. key — in music
  15. spring — of water
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — to grow
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. spring — a coil
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — the most important part
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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