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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. suit — clothes
  3. pop — to visit
  4. spring — a coil
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. dip — to sink
  7. spring — of water
  8. vault — a safe
  9. tube — a container
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. tube — the underground
  14. pop — soda
  15. suit — in cards
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. pop — music
  22. spring — the season
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. dip — a sauce

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