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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. toast — bread
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. object — to protest
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. pit — in a race
  9. hand — in cards
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. snap — to click
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. stand — to bear
  14. pit — a hole
  15. hand — help
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. object — an aim
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. object — a thing
  22. bulb — for light
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. wax — in the ear

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