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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. track — a song
  4. rash — hasty
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lean — to bend
  7. track — to keep track
  8. wax — to grow
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stem — to come from
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lean — thin
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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