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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  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. hide — to keep secret
  2. chest — of your body
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pass — a permit
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. chest — a box
  9. wax — to grow
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. chest — of your body
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. current — electric
  23. dip — to sink
  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