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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. mate — a partner
  4. lie — to recline
  5. suit — clothes
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. swing — music
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mate — to breed
  10. land — a country
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. land — ground
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. swing — to play on
  17. swing — in golf
  18. wax — to grow
  19. bear — the animal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mate — a friend
  23. land — to come down
  24. wax — in the ear

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