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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. spring — a coil
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — a permit
  7. firm — steady
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. present — a gift
  10. wax — to grow
  11. spring — of water
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. present — there
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. firm — a company
  18. lie — to recline
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. prune — to trim
  21. spring — the season
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. firm — decided
  24. wax — in the ear

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