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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 120 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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. can — to be able to
  4. present — a gift
  5. present — there
  6. wax — to grow
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. can — a tin
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. can — a tin
  11. mark — a trace
  12. plane — a tool
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pass — a permit
  16. mark — a grade
  17. lie — to recline
  18. present — the time now
  19. wind — moving air
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. wind — moving air
  24. pass — to spend time

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