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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. prune — to trim
  5. land — ground
  6. land — to come down
  7. fall — to drop
  8. land — a country
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. fall — the season
  11. fall — to drop
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wake — a trail
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. prune — to trim
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — the most important part
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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