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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 120 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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — goods
  9. pass — a permit
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bore — to tire
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. cold — not warm
  19. bore — to drill
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. cold — an illness
  24. lie — an untruth

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