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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. wax — to grow
  3. track — a song
  4. track — a path
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. lie — to recline
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. chair — a leader
  13. rush — hurry
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. track — to keep track
  16. pit — in a race
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. pit — a hole
  23. chair — a professorship
  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