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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. dip — to sink
  4. clip — to cut
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. wax — to grow
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. clip — for paper
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. clip — a video
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. roll — a list
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. rock — music
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. rock — a stone
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. hide — to keep secret

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