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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. band — a ring
  3. lean — to bend
  4. band — a music group
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pit — a hole
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. cell — in biology
  13. suit — to fit
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — a container
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. lean — thin
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. cell — a phone
  22. suit — clothes
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. ruler — for measuring

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