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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  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. wake — before a funeral
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. ground — crushed
  4. ground — the earth
  5. stand — to bear
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. squash — the sport
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. squash — to crush
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. wake — a trail
  22. ground — a position
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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