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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. suit — clothes
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. fall — the season
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. staff — a stick
  9. fine — high quality
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. fall — to drop
  14. wound — an injury
  15. suit — in cards
  16. fine — all right
  17. mate — a partner
  18. staff — employees
  19. mate — a friend
  20. staff — employees
  21. fall — to drop
  22. mate — to breed
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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