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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  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. track — a path
  2. saw — the tool
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. hand — help
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. saw — the tool
  14. track — to keep track
  15. kick — in football
  16. hand — in cards
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stand — to bear
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. track — a song
  23. stand — for spectators
  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