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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  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. hide — animal skin
  2. land — ground
  3. content — the amount
  4. content — happy
  5. land — a country
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. mark — a trace
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. land — to come down
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. lean — thin
  15. mark — a grade
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — a safe
  20. lean — to bend
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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