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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. date — the fruit
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. lean — to bend
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pit — a hole
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. lie — to recline
  16. scale — in music
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lean — thin
  20. bear — the animal
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. pit — in a race
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wax — in the ear

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