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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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. cap — of ice
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bank — for money
  11. squash — to crush
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. wax — to grow
  15. cap — a hat
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bank — of a river
  19. wake — a trail
  20. squash — the sport
  21. bank — for money
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. cap — a lid
  24. sharp — with an edge

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