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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 116 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. land — a country
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. mate — to breed
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. degree — an amount
  13. land — ground
  14. degree — from a university
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mate — a partner
  19. cue — for pool
  20. degree — temperature
  21. land — to come down
  22. cue — a signal
  23. mate — a friend
  24. cue — a hint

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