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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 is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — a cup
  9. ground — a position
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. ground — the earth
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. track — a path
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mug — to rob
  19. rush — hurry
  20. mate — a partner
  21. lie — to recline
  22. ground — crushed
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. track — to keep track

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