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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. content — happy
  5. fall — the season
  6. content — the amount
  7. fall — to drop
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. spell — a short time
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. toast — bread
  20. fall — to drop
  21. spell — magic
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. spell — letters
  24. wax — for sculpting

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