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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. rule — government
  5. lie — to recline
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. net — after costs
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. chair — a leader
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rule — a law
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. net — for catching
  23. net — in sport
  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