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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. sharp — clever
  3. can — a tin
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. can — a tin
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. track — a path
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. stand — to bear
  13. can — to be able to
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rash — a series
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — a container
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a song
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. rash — hasty

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