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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. mug — a cup
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. object — a thing
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. object — to protest
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. mug — a face
  11. ground — crushed
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — a gift
  14. ground — a position
  15. mug — to rob
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. mark — a grade
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. present — there
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. mark — a trace
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. ground — the earth
  24. object — an aim

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