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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. cell — in biology
  3. last — final
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. ground — crushed
  6. rock — a stone
  7. cell — a phone
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. rock — music
  10. last — finally
  11. branch — a division
  12. last — to go on
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. ground — a position
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — a face
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. lie — to recline
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. wax — to grow

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