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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. lean — thin
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. club — for dancing
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. lean — to bend
  7. rule — government
  8. court — of a king
  9. club — for golf
  10. wax — to grow
  11. club — a group
  12. track — to keep track
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. track — a path
  17. court — of law
  18. mate — a partner
  19. court — for sport
  20. mate — a friend
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. mate — to breed
  24. track — a song

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