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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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. wax — to grow
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. march — music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pitch — completely
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — an injury
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. mug — a face
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. row — to paddle
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. dip — to sink
  20. march — the month
  21. mug — to rob
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. march — the month
  24. row — a line

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