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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. craft — boats
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. drill — army training
  17. drill — the tool
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. toast — bread
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. chair — a leader
  24. pass — to succeed

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