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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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mug — to rob
  5. firm — decided
  6. lean — thin
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. chest — a box
  9. chest — of your body
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. mate — a friend
  12. chest — of your body
  13. firm — steady
  14. band — a ring
  15. mate — a partner
  16. firm — a company
  17. lean — to bend
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. wax — to grow
  20. band — a music group
  21. mug — a face
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. rush — hurry

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