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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. lie — to recline
  5. cap — a hat
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. mug — a cup
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. object — to protest
  10. cap — a lid
  11. object — an aim
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. snap — to click
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. squash — the sport
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. mug — a face
  19. object — a thing
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. squash — to crush
  22. cap — of ice
  23. mug — to rob
  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