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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. row — a line
  3. row — to paddle
  4. lean — thin
  5. rest — what's left
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. wax — to grow
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — in football
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. toast — bread
  17. rest — a break
  18. sharp — clever
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. lean — to bend
  24. rest — what's left

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