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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 120 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. shower — to wash
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pit — a hole
  16. wake — a trail
  17. mark — a grade
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mark — a trace
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. shower — rain
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. wax — for sculpting

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