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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. can — to be able to
  4. track — to keep track
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. can — a tin
  13. march — music
  14. track — a path
  15. pitch — completely
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. track — a song
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. can — a tin

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