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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. content — the amount
  3. spring — a coil
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. key — for a lock
  6. pass — a permit
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. key — the most important part
  9. content — happy
  10. firm — a company
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. firm — decided
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. lean — to bend
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. key — in music
  18. spring — the season
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. spring — of water
  22. lean — thin
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. firm — steady

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