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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. net — for catching
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. net — in sport
  8. squash — to crush
  9. net — after costs
  10. squash — the sport
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rush — hurry
  13. content — happy
  14. lie — to recline
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. squash — the vegetable

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