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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. wax — to grow
  5. object — to protest
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. capital — money
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. sharp — clever
  10. rock — music
  11. mug — a cup
  12. rock — a stone
  13. capital — a city
  14. object — an aim
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. mug — to rob
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. mug — a face
  24. leaves — to go away

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