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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. spell — a short time
  9. rush — hurry
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. spell — letters
  16. bear — the animal
  17. spell — magic
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. land — ground
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. land — a country
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. land — to come down

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