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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. wax — to grow
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. cold — an illness
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. object — an aim
  10. tube — the underground
  11. object — to protest
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stand — to bear
  16. object — a thing
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. dip — to sink
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. cold — not warm

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