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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. wind — moving air
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. foot — a measure
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. track — a path
  13. wound — an injury
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. track — to keep track
  16. wind — moving air
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. track — a song
  20. wound — an injury
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. wax — to grow

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