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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 stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rash — a series
  4. lean — thin
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. tear — from crying
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. tear — from crying
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wax — to grow
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. field — a subject
  15. rash — hasty
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. deal — to handle
  20. tear — to rip
  21. lean — to bend
  22. field — farmland
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. deal — a big deal

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