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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 120 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. ground — the earth
  3. wax — to grow
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. drill — a practice
  6. file — a tool
  7. drill — army training
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. spell — a short time
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. spell — letters
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. file — a document
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. drill — the tool
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ground — a position
  19. ground — crushed
  20. spell — magic
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. file — a line of people
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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