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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. fall — the season
  5. fall — to drop
  6. march — the month
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. race — humankind
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. race — a contest
  14. march — music
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. race — the arms race
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wax — to grow
  20. march — the month
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wax — for sculpting

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