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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. court — for sport
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. court — of a king
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. court — of law
  13. lean — to bend
  14. tube — the underground
  15. face — to point toward
  16. tube — a container
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. face — to confront
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. face — part of the head
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. lean — thin
  24. arm — part of the body

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