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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. mug — to rob
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. band — a ring
  6. band — a music group
  7. bass — low music
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. foot — a measure
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. mug — a cup
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. mug — a face
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — the fish
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. lean — to bend
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. wax — to grow
  24. hide — animal skin

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