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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. tube — the underground
  3. wax — to grow
  4. ground — crushed
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. tube — a container
  11. ground — the earth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. chair — a leader
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. pit — in a race
  24. ground — a position

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