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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. face — part of the head
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. mark — a trace
  5. face — to point toward
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. wax — to grow
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. face — to confront
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mine — for digging
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. stem — to come from
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bay — a horse colour

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