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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. rest — a break
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rest — what's left
  7. snap — to click
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. mate — to breed
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. wax — to grow
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. ground — the earth
  17. wake — a trail
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. mate — a friend
  21. lie — to recline
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mate — a partner
  24. ground — crushed

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