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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. club — for dancing
  4. fine — high quality
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. wax — to grow
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. fine — all right
  9. deal — to handle
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. can — a tin
  12. lean — thin
  13. can — a tin
  14. rule — government
  15. club — for golf
  16. club — a group
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. rule — a law
  20. can — to be able to
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. temple — side of the head

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