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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 120 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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. track — a song
  3. track — to keep track
  4. wax — to grow
  5. charge — electricity
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. track — a path
  8. charge — in control
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. tear — from crying
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. tear — from crying
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. deal — to handle
  20. tear — to rip
  21. charge — a price
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. plane — a tool
  24. plane — in geometry

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