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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. file — a line of people
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ball — a dance
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. file — a document
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a great time
  21. chair — a leader
  22. bass — low music
  23. file — a tool
  24. safe — a strongbox

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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