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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  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. wax — to grow
  2. suit — clothes
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. land — a country
  5. land — to come down
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — steady
  10. suit — to fit
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. land — ground
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. suit — in cards
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. firm — decided
  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