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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mark — a trace
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. pound — a weight
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. mark — a grade
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. chair — a leader
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — hurry
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. clip — for paper
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. clip — a video
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. lie — to recline
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. wax — to grow
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. clip — to cut

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