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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. pit — in a race
  3. wax — to grow
  4. lean — thin
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. lean — to bend
  7. tear — to rip
  8. current — of water
  9. pit — a hole
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. current — happening now
  12. firm — a company
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. tear — from crying
  17. firm — steady
  18. bat — the animal
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. tear — from crying
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. firm — decided
  24. current — electric

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