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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. face — to point toward
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. drill — a practice
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. can — a tin
  7. lean — to bend
  8. wax — to grow
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. squash — to crush
  12. face — part of the head
  13. drill — the tool
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. can — to be able to
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. face — to confront
  19. can — a tin
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. drill — army training
  24. lie — to recline

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