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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. rule — government
  5. mark — a grade
  6. rule — a law
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. prune — to trim
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. prune — to trim
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. fine — high quality

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