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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. wax — to grow
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. mug — a cup
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. degree — an amount
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. pit — a hole
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. degree — from a university
  14. pop — to visit
  15. degree — temperature
  16. mug — a face
  17. kick — in football
  18. pop — music
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. pop — soda
  24. mug — to rob

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