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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. ball — a great time
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lean — to bend
  8. mark — a grade
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. mark — a trace
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a dance
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. lean — thin
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. hand — help
  22. hand — in cards
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. mark — to pay attention

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