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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. bank — for money
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. content — the amount
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. content — happy
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mine — for digging
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mine — belonging to me

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