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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. wax — to grow
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. can — a tin
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. lean — thin
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. saw — the tool
  13. can — to be able to
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. scale — size or range
  16. rush — hurry
  17. lean — to bend
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. scale — in music
  24. pass — a permit

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