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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. can — to be able to
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — to grow
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. fall — the season
  10. wound — an injury
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. fall — to drop
  13. can — a tin
  14. track — a song
  15. bear — the animal
  16. can — a tin
  17. fall — to drop
  18. track — to keep track
  19. wound — an injury
  20. track — a path
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bear — the animal

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