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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fine — high quality
  10. court — of law
  11. deal — to handle
  12. lean — thin
  13. court — of a king
  14. lean — to bend
  15. wax — to grow
  16. saw — the tool
  17. court — for sport
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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