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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. wax — to grow
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. track — a song
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. fine — high quality
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. wake — a trail
  16. track — a path
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. toast — bread
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. lie — to recline
  21. fine — all right
  22. track — to keep track
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. trunk — of a tree

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