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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. object — a thing
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. lean — thin
  5. roll — a cake
  6. club — a group
  7. roll — a list
  8. lean — to bend
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. object — to protest
  12. club — for golf
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. land — ground
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to click
  21. object — an aim
  22. land — to come down
  23. club — for dancing
  24. land — a country

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