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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. sharp — clever
  3. kid — child
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. mark — a grade
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. tube — the underground
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. wax — to grow
  15. firm — decided
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. tube — a container
  20. firm — steady
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. kid — to tease
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. firm — a company

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