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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. mug — a cup
  4. vault — a safe
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. staff — employees
  8. mug — to rob
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — tied together
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bound — certain
  16. mug — a face
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. staff — a stick
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — part of the head
  22. pitch — completely
  23. face — to point toward
  24. staff — employees

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