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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. track — a path
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. wax — to grow
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lean — to bend
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. object — an aim
  12. capital — a city
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. cue — a signal
  15. track — a song
  16. cue — a hint
  17. dip — to sink
  18. object — a thing
  19. lean — thin
  20. capital — money
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. object — to protest
  24. wax — for sculpting

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